Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first card slips innocently from Bakugo's backpack one random evening, around the end of February.

It's after a long, stress-filled week that she'd set up camp in the common room. Taking up an entire couch with her books and notes, while she studied for a written test they would be having early next week.

At this late in the game, her Third Year at U.A. there was absolutely no room for mistakes anymore. Written course work could be lethal.

There had been a steady slew of Class 3-A students trickling in and out of the Alliance building for the last couple of hours. But most of them knew by now that if they didn't want a face full of explosions, that they should leave her be when she was that deep into her study session.

It's why she'd missed the pink, heart-shaped monstrosity in her bag the first time around, so engrossed in her text books, that she hadn't noticed it right away.

It wasn't until she'd been rummaging around in her bag to find an eraser that she'd seen the card at all.

'I want you to sit on my face...'

Katsuki stares hard down at the garishly pink card. Expression horrified after she plucks it from her bag. Re-reading the lewd words over and over, before her face eventually bursts into an embarrassed red, because...WHAT?!

“What the ever-loving fuck is this shit...?!”

Never mind the fact that the card is pink as all hell, cut into a lame ass heart...and that Valentines Day was almost two fucking weeks ago! 

But the words...

Katsuki feels herself squirm in her seat, her crimson eyes still bugged and shocked. Her ears were practically steaming.

Before she can even fully wrap her mind around the context of what that short sentence exactly entails, she's already burning the card to nothing. Her quirk activating in her embarrassment, destroying all physical evidence as her cheeks continue to heat up.

Someone has some fucking balls on them, that's for damn sure!

It's got to be a joke. Right? Right. One of her classmates must have put that in her bag or something. To tease her for the meltdown she'd had a couple of weeks ago, during actual Valentines Day. It had been the talk of her class for days afterwards, her tantrum going down as one of the top ten worst she's ever had. 

Katsuki had entered Aizawa's homeroom class that day to find her entire desk and the surrounding area filled  to bursting with Valentines gifts. Cards, chocolates, teddy-bears and candygrams up the ass. Notes and cards that she just knew would have a bunch of lovey-dovey shit written all over them. There had even been a huge bouquet of flowers for fuck sake. All from different guys around the school, apparently, and maybe even a few from her own classmates. She wasn't entirely sure, really...mostly because she hadn't even bothered to take a look at them.

When she'd seen the mess, she'd gone straight to a 10 on the blasty scale. As Kirishima had dubbed her moods over the years and thrown the most foul of temper tantrums in front of her friends. Most of whom had cackled like a bunch of disgusting hyenas as she'd lost her mind.

The bastards.

She'd screeched and blown up all the sickly pink sweet-nothings, the entire classroom raining burnt, chaotic Valentine confetti as she shouted and ranted. 'I fucking hate this holiday! The next person who gives me anything will get a fist in their face! Fuckin' try me ass wipes! If I find out anyone in this class helped contribute to this, YOU'RE DEAD! SOOO FUCKING DEAD...LIKE, DEADER THAN DEAD...THE DEADEST! DIEEEEEEEEE!'

Aizawa had walked into the classroom, taken one look around at the chaos that had ensued in the short three minutes that he'd been grabbing a coffee, and sighed. Even their class REP hadn't made a move to stop her...too in awe over the spectacle of carnage and exploded stuffies and chocolates to scold her. 

Tch! 

It's not one of her proudest moments...but eh? She is who she is...and ain't nothing gonna change her. Raging was built into her Bakugo DNA, so get the fuck over it!

Besides, she wasn't interested in any of the loser extras around U.A. All the boys at her school were morons and drooled over anything with legs. They weren’t interested in brains or bronze, of which Katsuki had lots. No, all they wanted was to get in her pants.

Disgusting.

How many guys had she turned down since First Year?

She can't even remember anymore.

Not matter how many times she's snarled and bitten the head off of anyone who braved a confession, there were always others lying in the wings, trying to grab a chance with her.

She hates being a chick, seriously. It's nothing but morons after morons. But, she'd be kidding if she didn't admit that most of the guys in her own class experienced the very same thing too, just with the opposite sex. It kind of came with the territory of Class-A being a hot topic of gossip for the last three years.

Never-mind the fact that she was part of the Big 3 now.

But Class-A's fame had also come after the War...with the almost destruction of an entire Hero generation. Fighting an endless, uphill battle that just about killed all of them. Before Deku had finally put Shigaraki into the ground. The country had been working tirelessly for the last few years to rebuild and regroup after the League had been taken out. It was only now, two years later, that things were starting to feel normal again.

Fuck, their First Year had been rough...

But she digresses. 

Valentines Day...ick!

Ugh, mountains and mountains of smarmy dick-bags...

It was fucking annoying!

There was literally no escaping it! Man or woman.

'I want you to sit on my face'

It passes through her mind again and she just sits there, textbooks and notebooks surrounding her in a chaotic mess. She flushes hotly at the words, pulling her legs closer to her chest, her black leggings resting against her red crop top.

Who the fuck do they think they are? That shit...it wasn't ...she wasn't...she'd never...

She growls to herself and kicks her bag off the couch, watching in satisfaction as it slumped unhappily onto the floor, much like the state of her worsening mood.

She doesn't know why those words make her uncomfortable. But they do.

She's not a fucking prude. She's had a boyfriend before...and they'd fooled around a lot. Had sex.

Granted...it was with Kirishima...at the beginning of Second Year, in fact. For like two whole months before they'd called it off and mutually decided that being friends just made more sense. Besides, Kirishima has had a stupid crush on Mina for forever...like even predating U.A, since they went to the same junior school...and Ashido had finally gotten her head out of her ass...both of them wanting to date each other. So yeah...Bakugo could be a bitch, but she never wanted to get in-between them. So they'd called the entire thing off. 

Katsuki hadn't been in love with Kiri, but she'd been attracted to him and if there was anyone in this entire school she'd spread her legs for, it would be stupid Shitty Hair. But, regardless! They'd fucked. A lot! Had fun. Kirishima had been a very attentive lover and Katsuki still sometimes thinks about the things they used to do to each other...

...but she'd never done that!

Kiri had offered...lots of times...to go down on her...

'Cause she's not dumb. She fucking knows that 'sit of my face' means eating them out. But, she'd always felt weird about it...Kirishima would offer sometimes, to use his lips between her legs, but she'd always refused. Fingers were fine and even his dick, but his mouth had always been a different story.

It also hadn't been because of his shark teeth either, no matter if Kirishima had initially thought that to be the case.

It had always just felt weird to her.

Like she would be extra vulnerable.

Being exposed and on display like that...?

Giving up control.

It was an unknown.

It made her squirrely.

But regardless, that had been over a year ago. She's in Third Year now, quite a bit more grown up and with more than enough battles on her belt, that she shouldn't be dwelling on what some dumb Valentines card said.

"Even though it's NOT Valentines Day, you dumb idiot! Ugh!” She growls out into the abandoned common room, miffed as hell and wanting to vent her frustrations. Honestly, it makes her so out of sorts that she kind of just wants to blow something up. Like, really bad. 

But there isn't anyone around to hear or care...and where is the fun of explosions if no one is here who can complain about them?

“Tch,” she scoffs, huffing to herself and slamming herself back against the couch cushion. Trying to get comfortable and will the embarrassment from herself with pure force. “I'm gonna kill whatever fucker put that in my bag, mark my words...”

She sighs dramatically and forces herself to forget the damn card altogether and get back to her studies. Even though Third Year had only started a few months ago, their classwork was already at an all-time high. Throw in training, working out, extra circulars, lectures, internships and a little bit of side-kicking at agencies around Tokyo and their weekday hours had become almost overwhelming.

She's still contemplating the impending semester a little while later, when she feels a sudden, heavy weight crash down behind her on the couch. It startles her, as she hadn't heard any movement and makes her jerk forward and smash her knee off the coffee table.

“Ow! What the fuck?!”

“Sorry,” comes a dull reply, the apology sounding far more amused than remorseful. Tch. “I tried to get your attention, but you were spaced out and not answering me...”

She hisses, turning towards the offender and glaring at red and white. "So you decided your best course of action was to smother me?!"

"Yes."

Bakugo rolls her eyes at his response. Typical. “What the fuck do you want, Icyhot?” because of course it was Todoroki! Of course. When she'd been talking about all the boys in the school being morons, she'd meant it...and Todoroki was the biggest moron of them all!

He was also ridiculously hot...

...but stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. Though, it was kind of endearing...and also annoying...gah, she wasn't sure exactly what he was. Just that he was dumb and she disliked him a lot...but also, not, because she could actually stand to be in his presence for more than a few minutes without wanting to commit Seppuku. Also...he was pretty much one of her closest friends and they had almost died for each other plenty of times. So there was that.

She doesn't know when this started. This friendliness between them. If you can call the butterflies that tumbled around inside her belly whenever she was in his presences, friendship. 

When Todoroki stopped reacting to her cursed angry threats and barged his way past her defenses, deciding they were besties. But... the guy was absolutely relentless and after a while, she'd learned to just deal with Todoroki and his absurd behavior when concerning her.

“Sleepy,” comes his slow reply, a large yawn falling from his lips as he snuggled into the couch. “Where is everyone?” He was lying on his side now, behind her, as she sat upright. His face turned and mushed into one of her text books. Jeez that can't be comfortable...

“Fuck if I know,” and she hears the telltale crinkle of a few of her papers and she gets even more annoyed when she realizes the icy bastard was crumpling all the notes she'd taken. “You're ruining all my shit, Half-n-Half?! Get offa me, you bastard!”

“Comfy, you're warm...'m cold...”

“You can literally regulate your temperature, idiot!”

“Too lazy...”

“UGH!”

She tries to untangle herself, but with little success, especially when Todoroki wraps one of his arms around her waist, his grip making her flush. The guy was ridiculously tall now...he'd had a growth spurt somewhere around the middle of Second Year and trying to dislodge his toned, but slothy limbs was a nightmare when he got like this...

When he got all cuddly...

...with...with her!

AHHHH!

Oh my god...! Since when has this been fucking acceptable!?

No one else was allowed to be this forward with her...

So...she doesn't know why she just lets Todoroki get away with this crap. She should punch him in his stupid, good looking face... teach him a damn lesson for defying her!

She never does though.

Why? Why does she never punch him?

“Can't you go bother Deku or some shit!? I'm trying to work here...” she sighs, resigned to her fate. She gathers as many of her belongings as she can, ends up salvaging most of her papers. She frowns down at a few pages that looked more ruffled than she would have liked and rolls her eyes, placing them into a folder and then into her bag after she scoops it off the floor.

Todoroki just grunts into her text book, his face is completely smushed. “Midoriya is lumpy. Not the ideal snuggle partner.”

“And I am?!” Katsuki growls, pretending that her face isn't flushing at the word 'snuggle'. What the hell am I, five years old?! How does he do this shit to me? Says a couple of words and leaves me reeling for a comeback.

“Yes, you smell good and are soft.”

Bakugo, ignoring the warmth of heat that sweeps through her body at his words, smacks the Half-n-Half bastard upside the head, “get moving, now!”

“Ow...” comes his grumbled, pouty tone as he runs a hand through his long, bi-colored hair. He sweeps his bangs from his face, sighs and finally, blessedly, sits up. Before staring down at her with a sleepy expression on his face as he leans close to her, looking dumb. He's cute and...ridiculous, but dumb. Also, he's been growing his hair out for two years and it reaches just past his shoulders now...and it does things to her. Especially when he put it up in a pony-tail.

Her inner fan-girl voice swoons...just a little bit. 

Why does she put up with this shit, anyway?

She should be used to this by now, though. Ever since the beginning of this year at U.A, Todoroki has made it his lifes mission to annoy her.

“You're a dork,” she finally mutters, halfheartedly glaring at him with 3% ferocity.

He only blinks down at her, as if his brain is moving slow and he's not even fully aware of himself. Well, until he jerks rigidly, his eyes widening comically, like he'd just remembered something. His abrupt movements startle her and make her careen forward, almost falling off the couch again. She flails in her spot and Shouto grabs around her waist again, securing her. She blushes so hard she would be shocked if he didn't notice. She swears he does this crap on purpose.

Todoroki will ultimately be the death of me.

After everything I've been through, this fucker will be what finally gets me.

God...do I ever hate you...

“Whoops," he frets, chuckling. "Sorry about that, but...I just remembered that I got you something...”

She blinks stupidly at him. Mostly because he still has his arms wrapped around her and it was frying her brain cells.

“Hah?”

“Just a moment,” he commands, turning on the couch and leaning over the back of it to reach down to the floor for something. She assumes he is digging around in his backpack.

Bakugo tries her hardest not to stare at Todoroki's ASS...that is now only a foot in front of her face. Those toned cheeks sitting innocently in a pair of grey sweat pants. The sight makes her heart race and her lips become parched and...and, she's snarling every curse word in the book at herself by the time the icy bastard turns back around.

HATTTTEEEEE CHU!

He sits fully upright then, all casual-like, as a part of his lip twitches. A tick he does when he is amused or happy with something. Katsuki is still trying to get her beating heart under control when a small black tin is shoved in her face.

“Huh...?”

“For you.”

“The hell?”

Todoroki just shrugs and hands it to her, settling back, left elbow leaning against the back of the couch, supporting the tilt of his head as he watched her inspect the tin.

She glares at the small metal box, then at his passive mismatched gaze, eyeing them both critically, looking for any signs of deception or mischievousness. When she finally deems her scrutiny sufficient, she gingerly opens the tin, her nose immediately picking up the sweet scent of sugar.

“Cookies?” she questions, glancing at the half dozen sweet smelling treats. Was that...?

“White chocolate...” Todoroki offers, as if reading her mind, nodding as her eyebrows furrow in confusion. “I thought you might enjoy them...”

“Seriously...?” and she is frowning down at them, her heart going 'thump, thump, thump' again.

There were not many sweets that she liked, but white chocolate had always been a secret, guilty pleasure of hers.

But how the fuck did Half-n-Half even know that?

Was it just a lucky guess?

She glares suspiciously up at Todoroki again, pursing her lips.

He frowns unhappily at her distrustful expression. “Do you not like them?”

She eyes him. “You poison them or somethin'?”

“Uhhh...no?”

Katsuki feels herself scoff, inclining her body back so that she was more comfortable on the couch. Lifting her legs off the floor and curling them into herself on the cushion, unconsciously turning her body more inward and towards him. Her nose scrunches as she says, “what's wrong with them, then?”

“They are just cookies?” he questions, arching an eyebrow and giving her a bewildered 'Blink. Blink.'  “That's what they normally look like...right?”

Her lips twist tightly. “Yeah, except, there's no way that you made these. Sooo, what the hell is wrong with them..?”

Shouto tilts his head at her, as if trying to figure her out. He scratches at his nose. “Um...nothing that I know of? I just thought they looked pretty tasty...”

Katsuki narrows her eyes at his dodgy answers. “Where did you get these...?”

“Hmm,” he hums, glancing away, looking like an air head. Bakugo just continues to glare him into submission.

It never fucking works! Todoroki has never been intimidated by her. Asshole.

Her eyebrows shoot up into her curly blonde locks when he says, “in a kitchen...somewhere...not here...but far...and away...”

Katsuki feels her face scrunch up again, trying to figure out why Todoroki's expression looks mildly sheepish. A light-bulb finally sparking up when she realizes.

“Did you freakin' steal these from the bake sale happening tomorrow?”

Todoroki's lip twitches again, aha! caught red handed! as he lazily glances at her, shrugging, neither confirming nor denying. “Let me try one...” he says instead.

Katsuki's mouth is stuck open in stunned surprise, but abruptly snaps shut as his fingers reach out towards the tin. She quickly whisks it away, pulling the cookies closer to her chest and out of his reach. “Ah ah! You said these were for me! I'm not sharing!”

“Ah, so you do like them...” he smirks at her, his head still tilted, leaning into her space.

“No I don't! I hate them!” she growls, but there is a light dusting on her nose and...and when had they gotten so close, huh? The heck? Why did the thought of Todoroki going out of his way to steal cookies for her, make butterflies burst throughout her stomach?

Todoroki just meets her glare, holding out his hand expectantly and arches his stupid eyebrow again, looking perfectly amused with himself.

Katsuki purses her lips, turning her nose up at him and glancing at him out of the corner of her eye in some kind of silly staring contest.

...

...

Just as she feels like she's going to explode if something doesn't happen in the tense silence, Todoroki's hand is swiping the cookie tin from her, quick as lightening.

“Hey!” she barks, lunging for the tin and laughing when she successful snatches it back. Todoroki's surprised face making her grin. “Ha! Snooze you loose, Icyhot!” and she scurries to the furthest part of the couch, giggling evilly when he just gives her a forlorn gaze, like she'd wounded him.

He decides to switch gears, very adept at maneuvering around Bakugo and her moods after three years of exposure. Or maybe he's biding his time, for a chance to snatch the tasty treasure and lure her into a false sense of security. Either way, he regroups and says, “want to watch animal planet with me?”

Oh god...not again.

“You have a problem...” she groans back, rolling her eyes, but doesn't move to get up and leave when Todoroki grabs the remote to turn the television on. Now she understands why Shouto had come out to the common room in the first place. Katsuki glances at the All Might clock on the wall over the T.V and yep, eight-thirty PM sharp...“Like, animals ain't that freakin' interesting...”

“But they are lovely... I like learning about them.”

"Yeah, but you watch the same damn episodes over and over again..."

"So?"

Katsuki sighs, "and you don't see anything wrong with that?"

Shouto rubs at the bottom of his chin in thought, "Midoriya rewatches all of those All Might specials. Oh, and he also frequently reviews footage of fights, over and over again. So, what's the difference?"

"It's...I mean, that's...ugh..." and really...she doesn't have anything to bite back with, because he is right. Deku was disgustingly obsessed with All Might and frequently could be found sitting as close to the T.V as possible, mumbling like a lunatic, as he reviewed Pro-Hero footage from fights across the city. Writing at the speed of light into notebook number, ah, what was it at now? Fucking 309? Notebook #309 the last time she'd seen him so crazed.

Shouto chuckles and flicks the remote, "at least my show is only an hour. Honestly, if there is anyone you should be concerned about, I think Midoriya takes priority on that one."

"Tch!" But Katsuki is trying not to smirk and it is so hard because Todoroki is just...ridiculous! It's the only word that she has anymore to describe him and his obtuse personality.

It was a very well known fact around the Alliance building that Shouto Todoroki had a passion for all things furry. His absolute favorite program was Animal Planet, and watching all the different documentaries on countless species of animals on the History channel.

Literally every night.

Reruns after reruns. The same episodes replaying over and over and over again, like most shows do. After three years of living together in the dorms though, like...can it just be over? Seriously, how many times is she going to walk in on him watching the stupid polar bear episode? Sheesh!

Katsuki found it boring. As did most of the other students who Todoroki managed to ensnare in his clutches for an hour every night to watch the latest episode. It was always the same narrator guy too and she found his dumb voice more aggravating than informative. Most of the time she ended up tuning him out or wanting to blow up the T.V.

Todoroki ate it up like air though and it was sickening to watch him geek out when they were some particularly awesome new animals showcased.

Animals were cool, she guessed. But like...she was definitely cooler.

...and seriously, he's probably watched that godforsaken polar bear episode at least a hundred times, he's got a serious obsession!

She sighs and slumps into the other end of the couch, resigning herself to at least an hour of bullshit narrator dude and his grating voice, before she hightailed it out of there.

Why the fuck didn't she just leave? She hates this shit. But then...Todoroki would be sad...and...she doesn't have the emotional mental capacity to understand why Todoroki being sad, makes her, in turn, feel sad.

She doesn't want Todoroki to be sad.

She also doesn't want to care, about caring, about Todoroki being sad...

It's a fucking curse.

Half-n-Half is like a goddamned curse that you can't get rid of. Sticking to you like a parasite. If parasites could be endearing and overwhelmingly attractive. While also being a huge dork with dense expressions and slothy limbs.

Oh god...was this stupid show actually rubbing off on her? She'd been comparing Todoroki to a sloth!

She can't help but pout at her own train of thought, “hmph...”

“Did you say something?”

Crimson eyes meet vibrant mismatched ones and instead of saying any of the rude things that come to mind, she just shakes her head no, words stuck on her tongue instead, as she gets lost in that soft gaze.

Why does he look at her like that?

All soft and comfortable and relaxed.

Like he enjoys being in her presence. As if he is fond of her?

Shouto nods and then switches his focus back to the television. Katsuki feels the air returning to her lungs that she hadn't even known had disappeared during their staring contest. “Oh,” he pipes up, pleased “...I haven't seen this one yet...”

“Well good for you...” she mocks, but there is no bite to it.

He turns up the volume, just as the catchy intro for Animal Planet starts to play and turns to give her a 'look'.

Nothing good for her sanity ever comes from that expression.

She leans away, ready to run and make a break for it... “What?”

“You're all the way over there,” he states matter-of-factly, pointing at her position. “I told you, I'm chilly...”

Bakugo barks out a mocking laugh, "and I told you, that you can literally regulate your temperature." She huffs and shakes her head. “I'm not your personal blanket, Icyhot! Warm yourself up!”

“But that's no fun...”

“Yeah well, tough shit...”

She hears a noise, almost like the smallest hint of annoyance or some kind of whine...

“Did you just...?”

“Bakugo,” Todoroki sighs, his tone getting her attention and sounding just a tad...tad...tad, tad, tad whiny. Half-n-Half doesn't whine though, ever... so she must have imaged it. But she's sure it's fucking there. Like he's pouting on the inside or something.

Those mismatched eyes simply glance and motion to the space next to him, giving her a passive stare and refusing to budge, even when the narrator guy starts to drone on about lions in the wild.

What she wants to say is, “no, get a life!” but instead she just narrows her eyes, huffs out the most dramatic, put upon groan that she can muster and shuffles closer to him.

Fuck Todoroki and his stupid face and unblinking eyes!

She releases an angry sneer into the air, ignoring how she feels heated, just for their close proximity. Knowing that it would just be more hassle not to give in to him when he got like this. He could be a real brat sometimes and he was stubborn as fuck.

Todoroki nods his approval and when he is satisfied with her close position he drags a blanketed quilt over them. The linen having been folded over one side of the couch. Pulling them even closer together. Great! 

She hisses, “what are you...?”

“Shhh, Animal Planet...”

“Seriously...I'm not--?!”

“Bakugo?”

“What?”

He just gives her another 'shush'

She gapes at his audacity.

“I'll shush you, Icyhot--”

“Hush,” he mumbles, but he fusses with the blanket and ends up tucking them both inside it to his satisfaction.

“Yeah yeah, I fucking get it” she grouches in a rasp, rolling her eyes and ignoring the fact that Todoroki was making her feel flustered.

Her face is heated in the dim evening. They were basically cuddling. Under a comforter, in the middle of the common room, where any of their friends could walk in and see them.

But she couldn't focus on any of that.

Todoroki was just all there, up in her space.

His cologne...his body heat and just his mere presence, were making a headiness engulf her.

Their shoulders and arms were touching and she'd already curled her legs onto the cushion and under the blanket. But why was all this making her heart beat so damn fast? Why was she blushing like a brat? Hyper focusing in on any singular, miniscule movement he made against her?

All they were doing was watching a bunch of mother lions protect their cubs from a predator.

But together, practically leaning against one another.

Fucking Half-n-Half...

She ignores how his eyes brighten considerably a little later after a commercial break, when she offers him a cookie from the tin. Glancing away in annoyance, feeling anything but, as she allowed him one of her treats. Playing it off. Pretending that his grin of thanks didn't make her want to soar high into the air. Like Ochako's quirk.

Also, she ends up guilty eating all the cookies by the time the show is over, shit...

Katsuki secretly enjoyed them a lot, but refuses to breath a word of that to him whatsoever. Even though it had been kind of obvious after she'd literally inhaled five of them.

She liked them, okay? Sue her. Besides, the fact that she got to raze Todoroki about his evil, villainous, cookie thieving ways for the rest of his life, only sweetened the deal.

Never-mind the fact that she'd felt all sorts of fuzzy things over him going out of his way for her.

Before they know it, an hour has passed, them sitting close together on the couch. Trading barbs and witty remarks during the commercials and keeping companionable silence during the programing.

...and it's not until Bakugo is dragging Todoroki off to their dorm gym, to work off those sugar calories, that she remembers that stupid Valentines card to begin with. But, by then, she's so engrossed in competing with the icy bastard on the weights that she just writes it off as a joke and pretends that it never even existed in the first place.

Chapter Text

The second card comes a couple of days later, on Monday.

They are training out on the P.E Field and just as Bakugo slams a screeching Deku onto the ground for a win, do they hear Aizawa's whistle blow across the field. Signaling the end of the session, but also, the end of the school day.

“Pack it up and head out, that's all for today. Good work everyone.” Now-a-days it's not so much of a shock to hear Aizawa praise them. They'd all come a long way in the few years they have been at U.A and anyone with eyes could see that the blunt teacher had a soft spot for them.

“Still kicking your ass out here, Izuku.” She smirks, but offers a hand to the pouting nerd who lights up in a megawatt smile at her gesture. Deku's nerfed OFA might still be strong as all hell, but Katsuki would always be the better hand-to-hand fighter. She grins fangs at him and he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck, his face red. 

They have also come a long way since First Year.

It was hard not to be close, after all that had happened during the War. After so many people had lost and sacrificed. 

At the end of the battle, Deku had become quirkless again. Using the vestiges and their powers against Shigaraki. Destroying them permanently in the process. He'd been fighting with the mere embers of OFA, giving everything that he had...everything that he was, to see the world onto the other side of this 200 year old battle.

Izuku had been prepared to lose it all. His life, his quirks...and his dreams of becoming a Hero.

It was hard not to admire him, respect him even...after all that he was willing to give up.

But when the dust had finally settled and Shigaraki and AFO had been put into the ground. Did the stockpiling aspect of OFA thankfully get returned to Izuku. AFO and OFA were like ying and yang. One should not exist without the other. Hero Society as a whole needed to move forward in a new direction. To put the past to rest. To heal and recover from its long suffering wounds.

Ultimately, what it boiled down to was this: Deku would not be able to transfer his quirk to a newer generation of Heroes.

OFA had been created to combat AFO...and with AFO's demise...and their generation saved...it was time to let go. Out with the old and in with the new, as they say.

The legacy of OFA would die with Deku, just as AFO would now fade, and Izuku Midoriya...would be the quirks final, finite user. 

A bittersweet, yet necessary end, after a two decade long vendetta that almost destroyed the world. 

Since then, Katsuki and Izuku have gotten stronger together. Two sides of the same coin. They had both used the trauma of the War to go further than they ever thought possible. Utilizing their quirks together to create an insane tag-team. Working with each other to achieve a cohesive partnership. What one lacked, the other excelled. When one was down, the other was up. When one was a shield, the other, a sword. 

There was no better team, really.

She was smart enough to acknowledge at least that much.

Deku makes a garbled, mumbled sentence about being distracted this afternoon and Katsuki just rolls her eyes, punching him in the shoulder and telling him to man up.

“Training this weekend, Kacchan?” and it's Deku's hopeful expression that makes her scoff fondly. She turns away, snarking out a “whatever nerd!” before heading towards the girls locker room on the far end of the P.E Grounds.

Izuku fucking Midoriya...

She smirks to herself as she heads down the field. 

Bakugo has come to realize that no matter what, that little bastard will stop at nothing to change the world.

It's just as disgustingly endearing as it is annoying. 

But...she wouldn't change a damn thing or have it any other way.

A little later Katsuki shimmies her way through a bunch of her female classmates into the muggy space. All of whom are gossiping with each other while they bathe or change out of their U.A issued gym clothes.

She quickly takes a shower, enjoying the reprieve from the winter weather. Granted, it was almost March and while the evenings could be pretty nippy, it actually wasn't even that cold right now. But the colder atmosphere meant that her quirk didn't work as well as she'd like and she longed for the hotter days, when she'd sweat more and her explosions were massive.

Katsuki, wants to go boom!

After she finishes her shower, taking care to wash her chin length hair, she bobs and weaves through her classmates again, towards her borrowed locker that she'd stashed her stuff in for the afternoon. She doesn't bother drying her hair with a towel, it always curls no matter what she does and she finds throwing some mousse into her wet hair and letting it air dry does wonders for giving her short, messy beach curls when it's dry.

Just as she types in the combination to her lock, does Ashido shuffle up to her, wearing a black bra and cute pink jeans. She's got a lolly-pop stuck in her mouth and Katsuki can already feel her eyes rolling when the pink girl gives her a smirk.

Well, this can't be good.

Katsuki scowls, glancing at the short girl from her peripheral when she just stands there and stares. “Can I freaking help you?”

Ashido giggles evilly, her raccoon eyes hooded.

Oh fuck.

When her best friend continues to stare her down, does Bakugo huff out a sigh and turn towards her. "WHAT?!"

“Ohhh nothing,” she sings, sucking inconspicuously on her candy treat. But Katsuki can tell that she's got something up her sleeve. She hears Mina giggle again and Bakugo levels her with a 40% glare.

"Just spit it the fuck out, Ash!"

"Well, you see," she teases with a tut, swaying back-and-forth, all happy-like. But she's got an evil look about her and Bakugo doesn't like it one bit. “I was just wondering something...that's all."

Katsuki mean-mugs her, mockingly stating, "u-huh! I am so damn sure 'that's all' ! Tch! Get real! I know you too well. So just spit that shit out and save me the theatrics! I already know I ain't gonna like what you halfta say."

Mina literally wiggles in place, like even she is having trouble keeping up her act. But she continues to keep her mouth shut.

Bakugo's lips tighten. 

Ashido's eyes sparkle.

Katsuki gives her an 80% glare.

Mina 'wiggle, wiggle's again.

...

This bitch.

...

Blink. Blink.

Innocent. Innocent.

Smile. Smile.

Okay, that fucking does it.

Katsuki explodes, "WOULD YOU STOP FUCKING AROUND!?"

To which her pink friend looses her composure and starts to cackle like a psycho. 

Yup, that's about right.

Greaaaaat!

UGH!

Bakugo sneers and turns back to her locker, flinging the metal door open with a 'Bang!' Not in the mood to deal with the teasing. 

Like that has ever stopped her friends before.

She swears that they all must have 9 lives...because she's tried to kill them so many damn times. But they just keep coming back for more! Like roaches.

The fucking...audacity.

Just as Katsuki resigns herself to ignoring her best friend, does said girl cut her laughter and eye her up and down. It makes the hairs on the back of Bakugo's neck stand on end. She wants to punch something. Badly. Already on edge and prickly.

Mina's hips shimmy a few times, before she gleefully asks, "I noticed that you and Todoroki seemed awfully close the other night in the common room."

Bakugo almost rips the locker door right off its hinges, because who the fuck had been expecting that!?

THE. AUDACITY!

Katsuki steels her nerves, anxiety bubbling up in her stomach. But she's got to play it cool. 

Be cool. Smooth. Don't let her see you sweat.

...'thump thump'...'thump thump'...

Sweating is literally my quirk, for fuck sakes! I can't win with these bastards!

UGGGGGGH!

Finally, after having three separate mental heart attacks, does she say, “the hell? You spyin' on me or something?”

“Nope,” Mina grins, popping the 'p'. She tilts her hips and leans against the row of lockers, giving her a conspiratorial wink.

“Liar,” Katsuki barks back, but there is no bite to it. Bakugo huffs a sound and turns to grab her orange cropped hoodie, black sports bra and panties out of her book bag. She changes right in front of Mina, three years of shared dorm space, public showers and locker rooms having done away with any lingering thoughts of embarrassment.

It is really amazing she isn't gay. She'd literally seen more boobs and vaginas in her short time at U.A than she probably ever would out in the real world.

“I swear that I actually wasn't this time,” Ashido confesses, twirling her lolly-pop on her tongue. “Buuuutt...I saw you guys when I was getting home from my cram session with Kendo. I'm shocked that you didn't hear me come in. You're usually so much more alert than that...”

Weird. She doesn't remember hearing anyone during that night, but then again, for some reason...she'd really had a hard time paying attention to anything that hadn't been Todoroki and his closeness...so...

'For you. I thought you would enjoy them...'

Those godforsaken cookies! He got her cookies...stole cookies...

Why does she have fucking butterflies over the thought?

They're just cookies!

Who cares?!

Apparently...she does.

But WHY?!

“Whatever," she tries to backpedal, save face and play it off. "I was doing an assignment on the couch and he wanted to watch Animal Planet...you know how he is, Ash...”

“Oh yeah,” she nods gleefully, fully aware of Todoroki and his habits. “But,” she sings again, watching her with a sneaky glint in her eye, “I also know how you are...annnd, I'm just sayin' that...you guys were kinda snug and cosy. Like two lil' bugs in a rug.” The pink girl then starts to laugh and pulls her phone out of her jeans, she flicks a few keys and turns the cell around, so Bakugo can look at the picture on the screen. 

The. Absolute. Fucking. Goddamned. AUDACITTTTTY!

"MINA!" she screeches, snatching the phone, almost dropping the damn thing in her horror. 

"What?! Ahahaha!" Ashido babbles, happy with herself. "You guys were just so cute. I almost blew my cover trying to get this angle...but I think the picture turned out great!"

Katsuki feels her eyes bulge, ears steaming because...BECAUSE...she was right!

They did look freaking cute. Snuggled up in the blankets, leaning against each other...and like, when the hell had that happened?! Did her brain really just melt that night? Leave her stranded to fend for herself against Slothy Todoroki and his never ending bullshit?

AHHHHHHHH!

"Delete that shit! NOW!" Bakugo demands, about to do it herself, when the phone is quickly snatched back and the screen turned off. The password selection now the only witness to her angry, ugly face. 

Her 'Bakugo Katsuki, patented 100% glare' is in full effect now.

Detonation: Imminent.

"Pinky!" she warns, growling with fangs and hisses. 

"Uh-oh! She's pulled out the nickname. Everybody look out!"

"I swear to god..."

Mina waves her off, "don't worry, I won't show it to anyone."

"Why can't you just delete it?!"

Ashido gives her the puppy--err...raccoon eyes? "But...but, it's just too sweet. How can you deny me?! Your bestest best best bestie. It's one of the cutest things I've seen all year! I wanna put it in my scrapbook."

"It's not cute!"

Ashido, because she is cruel and secretly a villain, turns and waves a hand towards the other side of the room, flagging down Tsu. "Hey, Tsu! Come over here for a second and tell me if this picture isn't just the cutest---AHHH!"

Bakugo practically body slams her friend into the lockers to get her to shut up. Screaming at Tsu to stay where she is. The frog girl raises an eyebrow, shrugs, and shakes her head, going back to packing her bag. 

"Oh...MY GOD! I fucking hate you!"

Ashido laughs her face off while Bakugo pouts. It appears that she's lost this round...

Fucking bitch. 

Katsuki curses up a storm and hastily pulls on her black skinny jeans. She buttons them up and grabs her black pair of converse shoes out of her bag, plopping her ass down hard on the bench that was situated behind them. She busies herself with tying her shoes and does her best to ignore Mina and her knowing, smirky-as-all-hell stare.

“Come on!” Mina pleads, “I need all the juicy details! I'll trade this picture for the facts! You can't just leave a girl hanging like this!”

“There ain't no details!" Bakugo hisses, "the facts are...that we just sat there and watched fucking Animal Planet!”

The pink girls huffs, not buying her story. Good! She doesn't want her fucking money anyway! Tch! “Yeah, wrapped in a blanket though...snuggled together...in the common room where anyone could see...talking in hushed whispers and gazing into each others eyes.”

Katsuki, now finished dressing, stands up from the bench and gives Mina a crazed, frenzied stare. “How long were you even there, you psycho!?"

Mina just winks and nudges her, “long enough to see how not so innocent it actually was, hehehe...”

"Bro?! Are you for real?!" Bakugo complains, before devolving into a rant that everyone has heard at least a thousand times in three years. "See! This is exactly why I hate the dorms! The War is fucking over...long gone and all the baddies locked up and dealt with! Why the fuck do we still have to room with the entire class!? I can't wait for this damn year to be over! Sick of no privacy! It's a buncha bullshit!”

Ashido snickers, "sooo, what you're really mad about, is that you and Todoroki don't have any privacy? Huh? Mhmm, mhmm...dooo tell, sweet Kat! Do tell!"

Katsuki's feels like she is about to explode into an embarrassed heap on the floor. “You don't have any idea what you're talking about, so just shut up about it!”

Mina scoffs, apparently done with her ranting and denial. She levels Katsuki with a hard stare, becoming serious for a moment and crossing her arms. “No! You are the one who doesn't know what they are talking about! I see how he looks at you, Kat...and it is certainly not friendship that he is after. If you catch my drift.”

Bakugo's face instantly bursts into flame at the pink girls ridiculous statement. Feels those same butterflies fill her stomach again and again, while her hands get sweaty and clammy. “I don't..." and she stutters, because gah...what the heck? "I don't know what the hell you're talking about. He doesn't look at me like anything!”

The alien girl just gives her an unimpressed glower. “Keep telling yourself that...maybe one of these days you might finally get your head out of your ass. He's been obsessed with you for a while now. He stares at you all the time! You're the only person I've ever seen him smile at!”

"Icyhot doesn't smile!"

"He does with you! I've seen it!"

Katsuki glares at her, trying to control her reaction to the thought of Todoroki maybe, potentially, being interested in her. "Don't make me bitch slap you,” she mutters, resigned and wanting to end the conversation. She also has no idea how she feels about that, never mind that it isn't true in the slightest.

It's not true, right?

Mina rolls her eyes, “as if you would, you're scared of me.”

“I am fucking NOT!” She howls, hands crackling and sneering when Ashido just laughs in her face again at her predictable aggression.

“Someone's got their panties in a knot." She teases, "...and I bet I know just who it--”

“CAN IT!” Katsuki snaps, shoving Ashido and her stupid giggling away, reaching for her pack. She narrows her crimson eyes on her friend who was also, finally, packing up, watching her put on a long purple sweater.

Holy fuck, this conversation felt like going three rounds with Deku.

It's not until Bakugo's got her bag secure over her shoulder, about to close the locker, that she sees the bright pink.

Fucking unmistakable and obnoxious and holy mother of god, there's another one?!

She slams into the locker, to grab the note that had been hidden underneath her stuff, as adrenaline spikes unexpectedly inside her.

No fucking way. No fucking WAY!

But it's there, in all its pink, heart shaped glory. Edges perfectly cut out of construction paper. Not folded, but dainty and written on it, is the same hand writing, in a neat and elegant scrawl in black pen.

“...so I can taste your essence upon my lips...nuzzle my nose into your smooth, silky folds...and...” Mina is gaping, her whispers trailing off and as she read the remaining words off the paper over her shoulder. She'd glued herself to Katsuki's back when she'd seen the pink valentine card. Curiosity having peaked, as she wondered what poor soul had actually had the balls to give her one of those, after the catastrophe Valentine's Day had been. “Hoooooweeee! That's pretty spicy...not gonna lie. Who is that from?”

“What the fuck?!” Bakugo shrieks, jumping as Ashido's words and her presence scare the absolute shit out of her already pounding heart. She spins around, her crimson eyes bulging as she regards an equally surprised Mina.

She immediately destroys the card in her hand, giving no one else any time to even see the thing, though most of the other girls are gone now. She feels her anxiety rise, her flight or fight instincts kicking in at her absurd reaction to some stupid card.

It's just a bunch of words! They don't mean shit!

But tell that to her frantic, beating heart...'cause it's not listening to a word she's saying.

Katsuki just barely manages to get her erratic breathing under control. She's trying to stave off a potential melt down or possible explosion of building structure, when Mina innocently says. “Oh...hehe, is that from Todoroki? Are you guys dating now or something? Is that why you've been so secretive and spastic about it?”

Bakugo blanks, mouth agape. Her mind breaking into a million tiny pieces at all the raunchy mental images that flood her brain.

She sees red.

Endless, endless red.

Like a locked up bull, being goaded by a red flag, after finally being set free.

She feels steam rise from her ears and burst onto her face.

An angry wasp, finally being released from a shaking cup...

Because right now? All she can picture is Todoroki...and her...doing that!

'I want you to sit on my face...

...so I can taste your essence upon my lips...nuzzle my nose into your smooth, silky folds...and lay claim to your rosy bud with my soft tongue...'

OH...oh HELL NO!

“OUTTA MY WAY!” She shouts, bolting for the door across the way, mouth cursing an angry tirade already.

“Hey, wait!” Mina shouts after her, stumbling out the exit of the girls locker room behind her. “Where are you going--WAIT! That's the guys locker room, BAKUGO?! What...?”

But Katsuki doesn't pay her any mind, she's a woman on a mission.

Most of the Class 3-A boys were still lounging around, roughhousing and razing each other and taking their sweet time getting their shit together to leave.

Kaminari is in the middle of saying, “aw man, I have no idea what I want for dinner...” when Bakugo Katsuki, in all her 5'5 glory, kicks in the door to the boys locker room and storms the place. Her hands already crackling, face a furious, yet beautiful scowl.

“Uh-oh...” Kirishima whispers, eyes widening at her rapid approach. Kaminari screeches in terror and clings to the riot Hero in fear. While half the other occupants of the space scurry out of the locker room, knowing from experience that they did not, in fact, want to stick around for whatever was about to happen.

Over the years, Class A had created a mental 1-10 scale for most of Katsuki's angry faces...

...and right now, that scale had sky rocketed to a whopping 13 the moment she'd kicked in the door.

“Abort Mission. Abort Mission!” Kaminari wails, practically climbing Kirishima like a tree, in an attempt to escape. “S.O.S. We need an immediate evacuation. Mayday, Mayday! We're going down!” he yells dramatically as she gets closer.

Sadly...

...it was too late for them all now.

She had them cornered.

“WHICH ONE OF YOU ASSHOLES KEEPS LEAVING STUPID VALENTINE'S CARDS IN MY STUFF! I KNOW IT HAS TO BE ONE OF YOU!”

They all blink stupidly in the ensuing silence, her question unexpected. Kirishima opens his mouth and closes it a couple of times. Kaminari squeaking when Katsuki turns her crimson eyes on him. Sero stiffens up and rigorously shakes his head 'no', backing away and into a set of lockers, with nowhere to go.

“I never gave you anything, Kacchan...” Deku stutters out, eyes wide, sitting stiff on a bench. It had been a while since Bakugo had lost it like this.

Katsuki immediately gives him the stink-eye, but then concludes with a nod of her head that Deku is not the culprit.

“What about you?!” she growls at Kirishima.

“Uhhh...you know I'm dating Mina, right? Plus, like...I know how you feel about that kinda stuff...”

“Yeah!” Ashido calls from a bit away, apparently listening in through a crack in the doorway. Why the hell is she outside like an idiot?  “Ei wouldn't write such a saucy thing anyway.”

“SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING. START. TALKING!”

“Saucy? Oooh, what exactly did it say?” Kaminari starts to tease, grinning back at the angry girl. "Musta been something nasty to get you so hot and bothered!"

Katsuki slams Kaminari in place against a set of lockers, her arm resting against his neck. “It's fucking YOU! ISN'T IT!?”

Kaminari whines pathetically as he struggles in her hold. “Noooo! Bro! I wouldn't do that. I don't want to die...”

Bakugo stares them all down one-by-one, inspecting their faces for any signs of deception.

“UGH!” She rasps, giving up and releasing the yellow haired idiot. None of these bastards were responsible or new any useful information. Plus, most of the other students had already vacated the immediate vicinity, which meant there were none left for interrogation and she'd missed her chance.

“Someone is leaving you Valentine cards?” Comes Izuku's voice now that Katsuki has had a moment to calm down a little bit. Kirishima tentatively rubbing her shoulders in support. Helping to soothe her. “But...Valentine's Day was--”

Katsuki turns on him. “Yes! I fucking know nerd, two weeks ago! Someone's playing some bullshit mind games with me!”

“But seriously, what did it say?!” Kaminari tries again, completely invested now that he's no longer in danger of being K.O'd.

“None of your damn business!”

“Musta been something really juicy...” Kirishima smirks, giving her his biggest shark grin and wiggling his eyebrows.

“Shut the hell up, Shitty Hair or I'll--”

“Uhhh...?” comes a confused voice. "What's going on out here? I heard a bunch of shouting."

Everyone turns to the voice with a pause. It was Todoroki and Bakugo just about falls on her face when he saunters around the corner of the locker room. Icyhot is dripping fucking wet...and wearing only a small, barely-there towel. He'd apparently just finished showering and had come to see what all the commotion was about. He turns towards his friends and when his mismatched eyes land on Katsuki, his eyebrows disappear into his hairline. “Bakugo...? What are you doing in the boys locker room?”

...and he's just there...tall as hell and soaking wet and toned to perfection, his long hair messy and damp...

...'thump thump' ... 'thump thump' ...

Everyone else just blinks while Katsuki splutters out nothing but nonsense. Flustered to the max!

...and Bakugo? Well she...she flees...because...because...

Because she just has to, okay!?

“Girl...what's up with you today?” Mina snickers at her, almost twenty minutes later. “You're acting a little feral. Todoroki really got you all hot and bothered, or what?”

“Leave me alone!" Katsuki cries, sneering, "I'm trying to make dinner!”

She makes for the fridge, and pulls out a bunch of slivers of pork, cutting them up into even smaller skewers and adds them to a wok, loading it up with a variety of different spices. Occasionally fluffing the ingredients with a spatula.

Ashido, who had followed her back to the dorms, had stationed herself in the kitchen, sitting on a vacant counter while Katsuki banged and clanged around the space. All Katsuki heard over her shoulder was how Mina cackled heinously under her breath as she bore witness to Bakugo moving furiously around the kitchen, completely flustered.

Todoroki had basically been naked and she had absolutely, without a doubt, not even been remotely ready to see that.

Like, at all.

It was burned into her mind for life.

Forever there...in all its perfect glory.

“Uggghhh...” she groans dramatically, chopping up vegetables at high speeds. "I can never un-see that! Why'd he hafta come around the corner like that?"

Ashido makes a noise, mockingly stating, "um...because it's a locker room? Of course people would be half naked inside of a locker room, Kat. Especially when you weren't even supposed to be in there. I mean really...it's your own damn fault you caught an eyefull!"

Katsuki, still feeling mortified, doesn't care about logic right now. She's having a moment. "IT'S NOT MY FAULT, IT'S HIS! That stupid, dumb-as-all-hell, motherfuckin' bastard!"

Mina pipes up again with a sigh, arching an eyebrow, "do I really need to get out the hand puppets?"

Bakugo screams, hysterical. "NOOOO!" and throws a spatula at her pink friend. Said girl promptly rolls her eyes and melts the utensil with her acid before it hits her face.

"MINA! WHAT THE HELL!? I NEEDED THAT! THE PORKS GONNA BURN!"

"Well, why'd you throw it then?" Ashido questions with a snicker, exasperated, as if she is speaking with a four year old. 

"'cause you're pissing me off!"

"Yeah? Well, just like earlier...now you have no one to blame but yourself! So ha! Suck it up, Princess!"

"Don't fucking call me that!"

Mina bites back with a, "well stop acting like a drama queen!"

"GRRRRRR!"

"Grrrrrrr!"

Why the hell is this girl her best friend, again?!

Katsuki just makes a bunch of high strung noises, cursing as she bronco bulls around the kitchen, slamming drawers in search of another spatula. When she finds one, she mutters to herself and proceeds to ignore her friend sitting behind her, raccoon eyes on her back. Knowing when to call it quits.

After a few minutes of silence, she can hear Mina wiggling around on the counter, wanting to say something. Bakugo feels her shoulders tense. "Ya know? This Todoroki thing...well, it's kinda written all over your face. But I think I'll save you the grief of stating the obvious and let you figure it out for yourself...”

“Gee thanks, you're a real pal,” Katsuki deadpans back, her voice raspy from her earlier shouting. But she's glad that Mina realizes when she needs to back the hell off from her, knowing when she should give her a bit of breathing room.

...because holy god, she feels as if she is suffocating.

All this Todoroki shit...its...she's...Gah! Her brain is mush and she doesn't even know what to say right now. There was too much crap happening in the span of 1 hour for her to mentally recover. 

Ashido hums behind her, “as for the cards, it could be Mineta...”

Katsuki huffs and throws her chopped vegetables into the wok she'd placed on the counter next to an outlet and Deku's stupid All Might toaster. The pan sizzles around the meat with the new additions and a yummy aroma fills the air. “Fucking better not be that little midget. Eww, I can't even beat him up, he likes getting tossed around, freakin' loser!”

Mina makes a bunch of gross sounds at any thought of Mineta and his sexual preferences. But they both know that he didn't have the balls, literally or figuratively, given his dumb quirk, to even attempt a stunt like that. He knows that Katsuki would roast him alive. But then, that short bastard could be sneaky when he wanted to be. Hmmm.

“How many have you gotten?”

“That's the second one...” she mumbles begrudgingly.

Mina is grinning again, “what did the first one say?”

Katsuki bristles and recoils into herself, ignoring how her temperature increases thinking about those words and the effect they keep having on her. "Nothing!”

She desperately tries not to think about Todoroki either, but it's impossible now that the image of wet, naked skin was burned into her mind.

Them, naked and wet...Todoroki between her thighs, doing god knows what and...

“Ow!” she suddenly hollers, having accidentally burned her finger on the sizzling wok when she'd been freaking the hell out and having an existential crisis in her head. Hundreds of raunchy and lewd images form in her mind and goddamn, this was getting out of fucking hand.

It was those cookies! She just knows it! Why the hell did Todoroki have to be so freakin' nice!? It was lame as hell!

THEY WERE JUST COOKIES! They don't even matter!

“Shit!” she bites out, but she's used to small burns and it doesn't hurt, having merely caught her off guard.

Mina shakes her head, “you good?”

“Ugh...whatever...” but she's just hunching over her food, taking extra care not to burn herself again, forcing her mind to think of other things.

“So...if it's not Todoroki or any of our friends, any idea who it could be?”

“Fuck if I know, gonna kick their ass when I find out.”

“Do you think it's someone from our class? It at least has to be someone in the school, right?”

Katsuki just gives Mina an unimpressed glower over her shoulder. "If I knew the answer to that, do you think I'd be standing here right now? No, I'd been elbow deep in blood and guts!”

Mina hums, fingers on her chin, ignoring her empty threats of bodily harm to whoever was the culprit. “There has to be a clue or something...”

“Freakin' bullshit...”

“What if it's---” but they have no more time to contemplate, because all at once Katsuki's simmering mood immediately dive bombs once again when the bane of her fucking existence casually strolls through the door.

Todoroki...she seethes, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye as both girls tense at his arrival.

Oh no...

She'd thought she had escaped him.

Apparently not!

At least he's dressed now, if nothing else! In a pair of casual beige pants and a stupid blue v-neck. She doesn't know if that's worse or not. He looks good, always looks good...and part of his clavicle is showing...and his arms are toned against the fabric...and gah...why has her brain betrayed her like this?

It's all stupid Mina's fault! For putting the thoughts into her head in the first place.

“Bakugo, what happened back there...?” and why does he sound so fucking concerned?!

Mina may or may not giggle evilly. It sound so deranged, that even Icyhot stops in his tracks to give the pink-haired girl an odd once over. 

"Oh, please, excuse me...nothing to see here...heh..."

Katsuki aims a 100% glare right in her face, just daring her to leave her high and dry. "...and just where the hell are you going?"

Ashido jumps from the counter, scuffing her shoes on the tiled flooring. Acting inconspicuous. "Oh, you know..." before she glances between the two of them, "away..."

Katsuki's face transforms into a scowl, while Half-n-Half tilts his head like a dumb puppy.

"Ash..." she warns, just as the pink-haired girl gives her the biggest, shit-eating grin ever. 

"Oh golly-gee, would you look at the time!" Mina glances at her wrist...where there IS NO FREAKIN' WATCH! THIS BISH! "I've got...um, some studying to do...yeah, that's right...some...stuff...to read...and study..."

"MINA!"

"You two have fun now, ya hear?" She sings, giggling, as she hop, skips, and dances out of the kitchen. Her horrid laughter fading as she runs towards the elevators.

Todoroki simply frowns, still as confused as ever.

That godforsaken traitor!

MINA YOU BITCH!

Katsuki snaps her mouth shut before she explodes, tensing in the lingering, awkward silence that befalls the kitchen. She's almost pouting, turning away to glare down at the food she's been preparing. Ignoring the fact that it smells absolutely delicious and she's starving.

Starving for something alright...her mind hums lazily, startling her and making a flush cross her cheeks. What was that about sitting on Todoroki's face?

Fuck you mother fucker! DIE DIE DIE! she hisses back, envisioning stabbing her inner voice and man, she's kinda going a little crazy right now.

“Bakugo...” and she's jolted back into reality, her body stiffening, her back to Todoroki and his smooth, soft tone of voice. Like a startled cat, hair raised and ready to strike as she waits. “What happened--?”

“Nothing! It's stupid, so just forget it! Everyone is being an annoying twat today!”

She can't turn around.

She can't!

His hair is still wet, curling a little bit and not yet straightened with his flat iron. She can feel that piercing, warm mismatched gaze on her back and...why does it make her feel so hot? Why is he so freaking tall, anyway? Why can she smell his aftershave from all the way over here?

Why does she notice these stupid small details in the first place?!

She hears him shuffle closer, his large, taller frame coming into her peripheral vision and she tenses again, like she's awaiting a blow of some sort.

She's not ready for the warm hand against her backside. Not on her ass, but nestled solidly in the grove above it. All appropriate and caring and literally...NOT AT ALL, at the same time. An innocent placement, but also with intent too. He's touching bare skin, just under her orange cropped hoodie and skinny jeans and ...and did he use his quirk or something? She's feeling a little hot under the collar all of a sudden.

...'thump thump' ... 'thump thump' ...

She feels the unexpected palm against her skin and it lights her up. Hot to the touch, his left side, she realizes and she feels a soft, whisper gasp leave her throat when those fingers slide teasingly up and down her skin a few times. Like it was an accident or a subconscious gesture to calm her down.

“It's not stupid, you seem genuinely upset...”

It takes her a couple tries to compose herself enough to reply, but he stands there patiently, allowing her the time she needs to collect her thoughts. She feels her body completely relax from his left side. He's keeping close, but not invading her space or making her feel uncomfortable and pined down.

“It's just...a stupid Valentine card prank...” she grumbles, focusing on her meal instead of his gaze or his fingers.

“Valentine card? Someone's been giving you cards?”

She nods and eyes him over her shoulder. When they catch gazes, Todoroki finally inches back, out of her space now that she's speaking to him. But still staying close, like he's trying to comfort her. She glances up at him, before focusing her attention on her finished stir-fry, turning off the wok and grabbing a plate out of the cabinet to her left. She tries not to glance at his fingers lying casually on the countertop, but it's a losing battle.

Especially knowing how they feel against her bare skin.

She has to hide a shiver.

Oh...this was not good.

“Can I have some? Smells amazing.”

“No!” she barks back, shaking her head to pull herself together. This is just Todoroki for god sake! Stupid, dumb faced, candy-can, icy bastard. He shouldn't be affecting her like this! “Also, what's with you and things smelling good lately, weirdo...”

He pouts. “Hey now, I shared my cookies with you,” he tries to point out. Gah! The cookies! Don't fucking remind me!  He is then humming noncommittally. “Actually, those cookies were very good and since you would only let me have one, I had to go and actually buy some during the bake sale.”

She scoffs, “tch, so what, you think I owe you now or something?”

“No, you don't owe me anything,” he says, but his lips are twitching. “But lets just say that a warm meal would definitely taste better than the cold soba that I've been eating for the last four days.”

“EW! Seriously?!” and she's basically staring at him in horror, because even though she likes certain foods more than others, she could not fathom living off of the same thing every night. Especially nasty cold noodles. Gross. “You're disgusting, you know that?” she huffs and hip checks him out of her way, angrily opening the cupboard again, before pulling out a second plate anyway, despite her 20% aimed glare.

Cold soba for four days..? She shudders...because that was fucking unacceptable. 

Todoroki tilts his head at her, watching her in amusement as she aggressively manhandles the wok. Not long after, though, is he being presented with a steaming hot plate of stir-fry.

They don't bother sitting down at a table or out on the couches in the common room. Katsuki just jumps up on the kitchen island, parking herself there comfortably and scarfs down her food. Chop sticks poised precisely in her slim fingers. Not a single drop of anything getting on her clothes or her face.

Todoroki does much the same, but he leans against the opposite counter, in front of the kitchen sink and they stay there for a good five minutes in silence while they eat.

It is ultimately Icyhot who breaks the silence.

“So...who cares if someone keeps sending you Valentine cards? Oh, and this is actually really good, thank-you.”

She almost chokes on a piece of broccoli.

Shit!

She'd almost forgotten.

In the stillness and quiet, in the companionable silence and comforting air she'd actually forgotten for a little while there about those stupid things. She'd spent most of the last few minutes trying and failing to ignore the Half-n-Half bastard before her. He was way too pretty...

She feels herself sigh, eyes narrowed as she sags around her plate. “Ugh, don't remind me...”

He quirks an eyebrow at her, amused. “You don't like getting those, do you?”

“Hell no.”

“Why not?” he questions, quite simple and casual. He's slowed down his eating, taking care not to speak with his mouth full and pays attention to her. She feels his scrutiny, but also his curiosity. He's not mocking her or making a big deal out of it like Mina did or any of her other friends. He is just curious about her answer. “Isn't it supposed to be flattering? To be wanted? To have people think of you?”

Katsuki doesn't even have to think of her response.

“It's not flattering at all,” she grouses, taking another couple bites of her food. “Valentine's Day is all about being cheap and taking the cowards way out.”

He taps his chop sticks against his plate, thinking her words over. “I'm pretty sure none of those gifts were by any definition cheap." He's referring to the literal mountain of presents and trinkets that she'd received on Feb 14th, that had all eventually been blown to high hell.

“That's not what I mean!”

But Todoroki just railroads over her flared temper. “Also, technically, because it's not February fourteenth anymore, it isn't actually a Valentine's Day thing, they could've just--”

She levels him with a 60% glare, it's not very effective. “It's just a stupid prank anyway," she scoffs, rolling her eyes, wondering why he even cares. "Everyone knows how much I hate that holiday and they've just decided to mess with me.”

Todoroki hums and pushes himself upright, grabbing his plate and motioning for hers as well. She swallows her last bite and hands him her dish and then promptly scowls as the idiot places their meager dishes straight into the dishwasher, not even bothering to rinse them off.

“Don't put those in there like that...” she yells, crossing her arms over her chest “...and don't be lazy! That's not enough for a load in the washer, just do them in the sink. It will take two minutes!”

“The dishwasher is for the washing of dishes, Bakugo...that is its purpose.” This fucker!? Todoroki is so deadpan that she almost doesn't catch the small twist of his bottom lip, but she sees it, eyes his playfulness in his soft expression.

“No, it's just an excuse for you to be a lazy bastard,” she gripes back, rolling her eyes at him. “You didn't even have to cook, so you best get to scrubbin', Icyhot...or else...”

They have a short staring contest that she ultimately wins, grinning in smugness as Todoroki scoffs, but does as he's told.

She's kind of a little giddy about it.

He washes the plates so slowly, that she almost loses her cool and snatches them right from his hands. But, she restrains herself...barely. 

He's such a fucking tool.

“What makes any of those guys a coward?” she hears him mutter, when he's successfully placed the dishes back into the cupboard, squeaky clean again. She doesn't even bother asking him to clean the wok or the countertop...she already knows when to cut her losses. 

Her mind doesn't full comprehend what he's saying, as she grabs the wok and turns on the hot water, soaking the pan. “Hah? What? Oh, are you still on about that Valentine crap..?" She glances at him, eying him suspiciously. "Why do you even care, anyway?”

There is no way in hell that Icyhot is the culprit. Even if he may...or may not, be interested in her. She just can't imagine someone like him...being so lewd. He'd be a more romantic type, right? An awkward ham that would have no idea what he was doing. He wouldn't have the gumption to be so smooth. 

Todoroki lazily glances away, shrugging. He's got no tell. It's always been a challenge for her, trying to read him. “I never did experience Valentine's Day growing up, like most other people in public schools did." He confesses, humming to himself. "But, from what everyone told me after I'd gotten to U.A, the holiday seemed like fun...and it has been these last few years..."

She snorts, "and..? That still doesn't explain why you care if someone is sending me cards or not?"

His lips twitch and she swears...swears on her quirk, that she sees a ghost of a smile grace his features. But it is gone before she can get a good look and perhaps she'd just imagined it. "Well, I just find it intriguing that out of anyone I know...you're the first person who I've met who doesn't actually like the holiday." He starts to chuckle, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Then again, you don't like most things on principal...so you might just be an anomaly.”

The fuck he just call me?!

An anomaly?!

"Who you callin' an anomaly?! You stupid, greasy troll."

Todoroki frowns, running a hand through his long hair, "I'm not greasy. As you saw earlier, I took a shower not that long ago. How could I be greasy after I shampooed and conditioned?"

Bakugo gapes...her crimson eyes bugging so wide out of her skull, that she might be in danger of having a stroke. She sucks in a sharp gulp of breath and chokes on it, launching into a coughing fit, when the mental image of Icyhot fresh out of the shower, in his skimpy fucking towel, invades her mind again.

I'M GONNA MURDER THIS GIANT BEANSTOCK!

She chokes and coughs and it's embarrassing! Half-n-Half tries to come to her rescue, his palm landing on the curve of her back, to slap the air out of her pipe, but she just screeches and smacks him upside his shoulder. She won't be able to handle him touching her again, not right now!

"PAWS OFF, FROST BURN!"

"Huh, that's a new one. Bet you can't think of anymore..."

Oh, challenge fucking accepted!

"CANADIAN FLAG!"

He crosses his arms. "Amusing...but not your best."

"SOBA SIMP!"

"...well, that one might be accurate."

"VOLTORB!"

"Wait, isn't that a Pokémon?"

"SIR CLUELESS!"

"Now that's just hurtful."

"DATING SIM PROTAGONIST!"

He gives her a wild look, "I...what does that even mean?!"

She starts to cackle, on a roll now. "PEPPERMINT TEA!"

"That's not so bad, tea is good for digestion and aiding in sleep and also--"

"HOT POCKET!"

Todoroki levels her with a real glare then, "ew...those are disgusting. Never speak of those vile things in my presence again."

She snickers.

"FREEZER BURN!"

"Okay...now you're just getting excessive."

"FRIED ICE! Oh my fuck! That's fucking hilarious! FRIED ICE! You get it!? Like fried rice...but ice..?"

She can't help herself, she keels over at his affronted look, it's making her laugh!

"LUKEWARM! SOFT BOILED! SHOW TOE! AHAHAHAH! That's a fucking good one!" She's literally crying right now, ridiculously amused at all the bullshit she is coming up with. 

Shouto moodily huffs, crossing his arms over his chest at her hysterics. 

"You done?" he questions, once she's calmed down a bit.

She eyes him critically, thinking hard..."TIDE POD!"

He just sighs.

"TODORONI AND CHEESE PIZZA!"

He scoffs.

"ICY THOT! TWO-FACE! DADDY ISSUES! KETTLE-KUN!"

At that last one, Todoroki looks mildly aghast and she snaps her mouth shut, feeling just a tad ashamed. It had literally just came out. 

She doubles back. "Er...okay, shit...sorry, that last one was kinda over the line..."

Todoroki tuts his tongue and she winces, feeling bad, but he starts to chuckle, rolling his eyes. All was apparently forgiven.

"Kettle-kun, really, Bakugo? That was just tactless."

Katsuki tries to hold in her laughter, but with the sudden tension dissipating and Icyhot snorting, she can't help but snicker. 

She runs a hand across her neck, feeling sheepish, "yeah okay, not my best moment. But you gotta admit, all the other ones were fire."

Todoroki huffs, but he's grinning. He looks so damn fond right now, that it's making her chest twist weirdly. "They were certainly...creative."

She gives him a fanged grin and finishes cleaning the wok, using a spare towel to dry and place it back into a lower cupboard located by the stove. She runs the cloth around the countertop, to scoop up any stray water or left over stains, and nods to herself when the kitchen returns to its former glory. 

Well, at least diner is finally out of the way...

"Say, Bakugo?"

She turns at her name, not liking that tone at all. Her crimson eyes catching mismatched blue. She grunts a response as Todoroki leans casually against the kitchen sink, deep in contemplation. He has a mischievous air about him though, a certain glint in his eye. 

"I propose a trade, of sorts..." he bargains, his eyes sparkling. He puts a hand to his chest, playing up the soft and wounded act. "I will forgive your rather horrific, insensitive, unsavory use of that nickname...mocking my traumatic, soul crushing past...if you tell me the real reason you hate getting things for Valentine's Day."

She scowls, "what?! I already said I was sorry!"

"Apology not accepted," he deadpans, teasing her. 

"The fuck you mean?! Not accepted?"

"This terrible, tragic transgression cannot be soothed with a mere apology, Bakugo. I demand recompense. In the form of compensation."

"Compensation?!"

"Indeed."

Both of them stare each other down, seeing who will crack first, but Todoroki will always be the smoother player between them. His poker face is something else. He barely even flinches out of his fake act and Bakugo finds she has no patience left to dissuade him. Besides...she does feel just a tiny bit bad about bringing up the "kettle incident" even though she knows damn well that Icyhot has grown past that particular trauma. 

He's just being a brat now. Doing whatever was necessary to get what he wanted. He's a spoiled fucker.

Apparently, what he wanted, was to understand her frustrations with some stupid holiday. 

Like...why does it even matter?! She still doesn't get it. Get him. But she'd given up years ago trying to figure this guy out. Now, for self preservation...for her sanity, she usually just gives in and allows him what he wants. 

Another part of her...wonders if she gives in...because she digs him this way. 

He's so fucking obtuse...but like, never change Todoroki, because he's never been boring. Always keeps you guessing and on your toes. 

Finally, she sighs, flagging, and drops her shoulders. 

Half-n-Half looks entirely too pleased with himself. 

She eyes him. "You really wanna know?"

He nods and motions for her to keep going. 

"My opinion on some stupid holiday is really that important to you?"

"Yes. I enjoy listening to all your opinions...or, 'takes' as Kaminari would say. I find them interesting."

Her lips twist, because that was unexpected. "You do?"

He tilts his head, as if she is the one acting and saying weird shit. "Everything you say is of interest to me."

...'thump thump' ... 'thump thump' ...

Um...excuse me?! The heck did Icyhot just say?

She opens her mouth to respond to his...weird-as-fuck...but also, sweet-as-hell, statement...but nothing of substance comes to mind.

The butterflies are back, wrecking havoc on her nervous system and short-circuiting her higher brain function...because HAH?!

She feels a soft, shy blush flutter across her cheeks, making her bite her lip. She sputters..."you're...you're freaking embarrassin'...like...soooo fucking lame. A dork! You're such a dork that you should come with a warning sign or somethin'...like what the hell?!"

“Duly noted,” he replies dryly, mouth tilted up. He's fucking with her, she just knows it.

Bakugo pouts...because that is all she can really do right now. 

Todoroki just stares and watches her patiently. As if he knows how to play the game. Other than Kirishima...or Deku even, Todoroki is someone who knows her too well. Has always been able to see what made her tick. Over the years, it has been a blessing as much as it's been a curse. 

He leans casually against the kitchen sink, like he's got nowhere he'd rather be than right here, listening to her speak. He's way too damn patient and she hates that about him. 

Her face is still red, but she powers through.

Finally, she mutters out, "Valentine's Day is for cowards...that's why I hate it so much."

She witnesses Icyhot's eyebrows fly into his hairline, apparently not having expected her answer. 

"...and I'll ask again, what makes any of those people cowards?"

Katsuki crosses her arms over her chest, feeling defensive, even though Todoroki was only curious and not judging her. “These people have all year to man the hell up and make a move. But they wait until this one dumb day to throw a bunch of shit at you. It's fake as fuck. Not genuine at all.”

Todoroki seems to mull that over. "Oh, I dunno, I thought some of the poems I got were definitely from the heart. Perhaps not the most articulate...but they got their point across...”

“Jesus, did you actually read all that crap?” because Todoroki had gotten just as many, if not more, Valentine gifts than she had.

He grins. “Yes, and I enjoyed all the delicious treats I was given as well...”

“Wow, you fucking sellout,” she grumbles, not meaning it, more a dig than anything. But just like everyone knew of Todoroki's Animal Planet obsession, so too, did they know of his enormous sweet tooth.

Having been denied sweets as a child...made for a monster when left to his own devices as an adult. It was a wonder he wasn't fat, with all the treats that he ate. 

She's reminded of those stupid cookies again and it's unacceptable how much she keeps thinking about them. They were just cookies! It made no sense to at all to get so bent out of shape over some sweets, but here she was...

“Anyone worth half their salt wont approach shit that way,” she continues, resolute in her reasoning. “At least...not in an way that I would give a shit about. If they can't say it to my face... and have to hide behind a bunch of materialistic things to get their feelings across, than I'm just not interested.”

“Yes, except you literally bite the head off of any guy who asks you out...” he points out. “You can't blame them for being a little weary...”

“Tch,” and she narrows her eyes at him. “So what? At least I respect them more! At least they had the balls to put themselves out there and face rejection like a real man! They don't hide behind some fake holiday to show their feelings. All these people? They've got no guts. Besides, buying all that crap? It's wasteful...and I hate people being wasteful. You wanna give me gifts? Fine. But it's gotta be in a way that is meaningful. Not commercialized. Like, why do you wait all year for some dumb holiday to show that you care about someone? Isn't that a lot of pressure? I just don't get it! Can't you just do the same thing any other time of the year? Won't it mean more to the person you are trying to be with, anyway? I know it does for me. I hate people being fake. I refuse to acknowledge them. Sooo, that's why...I hate Valentine's Day. Will that explanation suffice for you lame ass 'compensation' !?"

Bakugo waits impatiently for his response. He's taking his sweet time! After a short moment of reflection on her mini rant, does Icyhot hum. He is gazing at her thoughtfully and...it pretty much derails her entire train of thought.

She tilts her head, trying to figure out what exactly that expression means, but she's not too sure. It seems like he's contemplating something. His eyes are curious, but serious, as if he's trying to put together a puzzle and only some of the pieces are falling into place.

Finally, he says, "well...when you put it that way, I can see your point of view much clearer then before."

“Tch! Whatever, it doesn't even matter...” she shrugs, “so as long as you're satisfied, then I'm done talking about stupid Valentine cards.” She is then grinning at him and pushing herself up from her lean against the counter. She straightens out her clothing while getting closer to him, before promptly flicking him in the forehead when she sees his glazed over, thought-provoking expression.

“Hey!”

“Don't hurt yourself trying to grease those ancient wheels in your head, Icyhot...” and she's wiggling her eyebrows at her own insult. “I know they don't see much action,” smirking when she receives a dull, unimpressed look.

Todoroki's lips twitch, biting back, “at least I don't freak out over pink paper hearts...”

“Don't you ever shut up?” ...and she playfully pushes him away, scoffing at his amused chuckle, and barges past him. “Enough with the stupid lovey dovey shit! I'm over this conversation! I'm going to my room! Don't die in your sleep, idiot!”

“Is that Bakugo speak for have a good evening?”

“No!” and it's a lie, they both know it is. “Grrr, just stop talking, okay?!”

Todoroki smirks and calls out to her, “have a good evening Bakugo, sweet dreams.” It's full of sarcasm and amusement and she flips him off over her shoulder. But...she can't help the small secret grin she has as she scurries away and towards her dorm. Already feeling better about this entire afternoon.

...and if she had been paying more attention, if Todoroki hadn't been an almost constant distraction to her these days... she may have wondered just how Todoroki had known the exact shape and color of said Valentine's card. Considering she'd burned them both and no one else but Mina had seen one.

But alas, the thought didn't even seem to cross her mind...

Chapter Text

The third card comes the following Saturday, five days after the locker room incident. 

Bakugo is not as surprised the third time around, when she spots the latest heart shaped card under her dorm door, as she's getting ready to head out for the day.

It was stupid early Saturday morning and she had just finished getting ready for a dumb Mall outing with all the students of her class.

That had, apparently, been deemed MANDATORY! The fuck, Aizawa!?

Aizawa had begrudgingly agreed to chaperone them after a collection of students had petitioned him for the outing. Even though he'd been annoyed that he would no longer be able to sleep in on his day off, he'd sulkily agreed. Mostly because Deku was crazy and could be insanely convincing when he set his mind to something...especially when it had to do with meeting his Heroes. It's no wonder that Aizawa had taken one look at the signed petition...sighed...and given in without a complaint. 

Bakugo had immediately vetoed the entire thing. Remembering the debacle of their last public mall outing. Where she'd almost blown Kaminari to smithereens, but had missed her shot and instead, had exploded a gum ball machine in the arcade by accident.

Picking up a million fucking gums balls, while a short, scraggly-haired woman had yelled at her, was not her idea of a fun time! Stupid fucking PIKACHU!

She feels her hands crackling at just the thought. The manager at the arcade had reamed her out and shown no mercy. Chastising her in front of a bunch of people while she'd hurriedly tried to clean up her mess. Then, she'd gotten a lecture from her teacher about loosing control and letting her emotions get the better of her quirk. She'd even had to write a stupid dumb apology letter and pay for all the damages.

It had been so fucking embarrassing.

But no....Aizawa obviously wanted them all to suffer together. He had made it quite clear that all of their classmates, whether they wanted to or not, would be required to go on this outing together...or not at all. For an extra layer of protection, if nothing else.

But also?  Their mentor just liked to fuck with them.

There were still a lot of restrictions in place around most of the students who attended U.A. Which was absolutely ridiculous, as most of her classmates were responsible for ending the War. Half of Class A were much stronger now than a lot of the seasoned Pro Heroes out there today. So it still irked Katsuki that after everything she and her class had been through, they were still treated like little punks who didn't know any better. 

She just keeps reminding herself, that by this time next year, they would all finally be setting out into the real world. No longer in need of babysitting and kid-glove treatment...because really, U.A had to release the shackles at some point, right?

But seriously though...

Why the hell did she have to suffer all this team bonding shit?

Wasn't last time enough?!

She just sighs, muttering numerous threats against Kaminari's well-being should he even look her way today. Katsuki finishes getting dressed. Throwing on a tight, slim fitted red leather jacket over her dark grey muscle shirt that tapered at her waist. Paired with black leggings, sleek sunglasses in her blonde hair and combat boots at the ready.

She was just about to head out, when she saw the pink heart lying a little under her door.

She tenses, but doesn't freak out like she had last time. She's had some time to come to terms with all this, but it still doesn't mean that she has to like it.

After spending the last week trying to figure out who could possibly be sending the cards, she'd not had any luck trying to pinpoint any one person.

It has to be someone in her class, right?

The strategic placement of the cards: her backpack, her borrowed locker and now her dorm...made that theory seem more likely...but...

Then again...students of all the different U.A classes were always in and out of each others dorms. Friendships and relationships had formed over the years after-all and really...it could be just about anyone...

She frowns to herself and flips the construction paper over, black ink curling to spell words...

'I want to hold you close...

You call to me: Your Passion, Your Drive, Your Tenacity...

You're beautiful.'

Her jaw actually drops open.

What kind of shit is thi--?

“Kat, you in there!” and it's Kirishima, knocking on her dorm door and making her jump three feet in the air in surprise. Why the hell am I so freakin' jumpy lately?  Gah.

The Valentine ...or whatever the fuck it was at this point, flutters helplessly to the floor, forgotten. “Aizawa said the bus is leaving in five!”

“I'm coming, so shut up Shitty Hair!” She marches forward, yanking open her door and glaring out at Kirishima's sheepish grin. He'd obviously drawn the short straw and had been sent on behalf of the class to collect her.

“You look good,” he comments, eyeing her up and down, giving her a small smirk. A small, harmless flirt and nothing more, but cultivated after the different stages of their relationship. She gives him a bit of a leer.

“Tch, I always look good...” she huffs, shouldering past him with a slam to her door, locking the room up tight with a key and stuffing said key into her leather jacket. “Why does he like to fuck with me?” she grumbles on the way downstairs, walking shoulder-to-shoulder.

“Who, Aizawa? You know how he is when it comes to team building...”

“Yeah! Except I live with all you clowns and that's enough team building to last me the rest of my life, thanks...”

“Hey, we're not so bad...”

She just glares at him, because that statement isn't even worthy of her angry words...

“There you are,” Mina calls out, waving from an open window on the stupid, ginormous yellow school bus out in the U.A parking lot. It's freaking obnoxious and so...kiddish...and reminds her of times passed. Of five year old Deku, smiling toothily at her on their first official day of primary. Riding in a bus just like this one. "I actually thought you were gonna leave us high and dry!"

“Hmph, shoulda...” she grumps, but marches on to the bus anyway after Kirishima.

This is another reason she hates going to the mall. Their mode of transportation sucks and isn't cool or stylish at all.

“Glad you could join us,” Aizawa deadpans from the very front seat, already cocooned in his yellow sleeping bag.

Present Mic just gives her a thumbs up when she climbs the stairs and sees him in the drivers seat. “All aboard the mall outing express!” and then he's closing the doors, motioning for her to take a seat. “Let's get this show on the road!!”

Kirishima quickly finds his seat next to Mina and Katsuki glances around, to all the other faces of her class and promptly throws herself into the only vacant seat, up close to the front. She ignores everyone behind her and crosses her arms petulantly over her chest, as the bus starts to move and her classmates burst into rambunctious, excited chatter.

Damn, this is going to be one long ass trip...

Did she mention that she hates the mall?

“Alright everyone, you've got four hours,” Aizawa states, staring glumly at them all from his vantage point inside the bus, leaning out an open window. All twenty of them had vacated the vehicle and were idly standing around the malls parking lot, waiting to be released from their teacher. “Buddy system is in place, groups of 2 or more. No solo acts.”

She scowls and crosses her arms tighter over her chest.

“Also, I don't think I need to remind you all to be on your best behavior...” and Aizawa is eyeing her especially, giving her a dull look that she purses her lips at. “Anything happens, you've got your phones for emergencies to contact me. Now, get out of here and let me sleep. Bus leaves at exactly 2pm, don't be late or else...”

“Yes Sir!” most of the students chime, already rushing ahead to the large, double doors of the mall, scattering like a bunch of stupid ants and forming random groups of two, three and four.

When she's mostly alone, does she finally slump and start to slink towards the mall, shoulders hunched and hands placed inside her red jacket.

“Buddy system, Bakugo...” she hears over her shoulder from Aizawa, who is giving her the stink eye.

“Yeah yeah, whatever!” she growls, beginning to speed walk now and wondering just who the hell she could possibly tolerate for four hours!?

No one! There is no one!

Ugh, this was going to be a fucking nightmare!

Once inside the mall, she immediately wants to run the hell away.

All her friends are waiting on her, grinning gleefully and rubbing their hands together as they watch her glance around skeptically.

“You comin' with us, Kat?” Kirishima questions, hopeful. The riot Hero is surrounded by Mina, Pikachu, Tape Face, Deku and Pink Cheeks. Four Eyes is a little farther away, scoping out the place but she has no doubt he's going with them. “Midoriya says that the Hawks signing isn't until eleven, so we're just going to look around for an hour before then.”

Oh right, the real reason she'd been dragged to this godforsaken place to begin with. Apparently Pro-Hero Hawks was doing a fan signing today and everyone, including the damn nerd, was excited for it.

Katsuki gives Kaminari a dangerous, lethal look when she notices him hiding conspicuously behind Kirishima, trying to appear small. As if she hadn't already spotted him and his stupid hair from a mile a way.

“No way in hell,” she says, rolling her shoulders and fluttering past them all, boots clicking.

“Awwwh, come on, Bakugo!” Mina yells after her.

“But, Mr. Aizawa said that you have to have a buddy --” Midoriya calls out, as she's walking away.

“Oh yeah?! And whose going to tell him, huh?” and she glares at him over her shoulder, smirking in victory when her green-haired classmate shrinks away. “I'd rather face Aizawa's wrath than listen to all of you for half the day, no thanks!”

“But Bakugo--” Ochako pipes up.

“Later losers!!!”

“Kat!” Kirishima yells.

But she ignores them all as she hurries away and around a corner.

It's not that she hates her friends, she doesn't, er...well, she does, but only sometimes! She's just been a little on edge lately and can't handle them all together like that, all in her space and up in her business.

She grabs a cup of coffee from a little cart and slowly makes her way around the enormous building. The shopping district had recently done renovations to this place last year and now the mall had four separate floors, a built in theatre and even an entire section dedicated to a Food Court.

She tries to keep her head down, to not drawn any attention to herself, but she still sees people whispering and staring at her as she passes by them.

Shit, she's way too recognizable...she should have done more to hide her identity.

Add that to the list of reasons why she despised the mall. It was local and most of the people who shopped here were very well aware of her and most of her class. Due to T.V spotlights, villain media coverage and the U.A Sports Festival every year.

Bakugo herself had been in the media probably more times than anyone these last few years and her trademark scowl and curly blonde hair were always a dead giveaway to the public.

She stealthily makes her way around corners and shops, avoiding any of her classmates that she sees wandering around and finds herself on the bottom level a little later. She spots a large enclosure, with a huge water fountain cascading artfully over different metallic structures and heads in that direction, looking for a bit of cover.

It had a marble ledge surrounding the water that you could sit on, with a railing overlooking it. She could already see different people standing around, throwing coins into the water and making wishes. Couples taking pictures of the magnificent visuals that the sparkling fountain provided. Families with younger kids pushing and pulling one another, roughhousing and driving their parents crazy.

She finds a secluded spot and makes her way over, tucking herself in there and as out of view of the public as she could. Enjoying the calming sounds of the flowing water as she zoned out for a bit.

She hears a few kids excitedly chatting about Hawks and how they were excited to meet him...and she can't help but shake her head fondly at their enthusiasm. After all, when she was younger, she'd been just like them. 

Hawks...

Katsuki never had a lot of time to get to know him, like Deku did. But she has an immense amount of respect for the guy. It had taken a lot of guts to come back to fighting crime as a Pro-Hero, after the world found out about his background, his history...and the murder he'd committed on the League member named Twice. Never mind the fact that Dabi had basically roasted his wings to pieces and they never did heal back to their former glory. 

But, it takes an even bigger man, with a hell lot of courage and backbone, to come back into the spotlight after having your quirk stolen by AFO.

Honestly, Katsuki's not sure if she herself could come back from something like that. 

During the War, there had been many Pro-Heroes who'd had their quirks stolen and never returned. Hawks had been one of them. The winged Hero had been protecting her classmate, Tokoyami, at the time and had jumped into the fray when AFO had tried to steal his dark shadow. Hawks had taken the hit instead. A Hero to a fault.

Loosing a quirk was one thing...but to have your entire identity taken away? It can't have been easy to come back from. It wouldn't have been a pill that she could swallow, that was for sure. 

After the War, Hawks had kept a low profile. Losing his #2 spot on the Hero charts...until the entire ranking system had been abolished anyway, due to the new direction Hero Society was taking now. 

No one had heard a peep from Hawks for almost a year after that. Until about 6 months ago, when he'd reemerged into the spotlight under Endeavour's Agency. Both of their agencies had merged, forming a 50/50 partnership, and Hawks had made his Hero debut for a second time. Now with new and improved metallic red support wings, that had been made by the best engineers in the business. 

She'd seen the promotional material for their merged Agency. It had been a good move for the two Heroes. The photo spread had been cool. But one picture had stood out from all the rest. Endeavour, with his new steel arm, supporting Hawks, who sat perched on his shoulder, a huge grin on his face, metal wings glistening and spread eagle.

The entire country had ate it up! 

...and while Hawks and Endeavour would never be the powerhouses that they once were. It was inspiring to see the two of them come back swinging. They, who had probably sacrificed the most in the War, would keep fighting the good fight. No matter what. Both of them determined to shape this new world into something better. Heroes that would be recognized and revered in the generations to come as champions that never gave up.

They were an inspiration to the country...and were the people who Katsuki aspired to be now.

For better or worse. 

Honestly, now that she thinks about it...she can't really blame her class for wanting to meet up with him here today. Not only do her friends deserve it...but so does Hawks. The winged Hero has been busting his ass for a while now, trying to clear his name and make something of himself. She's watched his newest interviews, where he goes into detail about not wanting to be remembered as the Hero Commission's lapdog. But to be remembered as a Hero for the people.

However...just because she understands the need to come to the Mall today...doesn't mean that she has to like it, though. 

Tch.

Katsuki take a few sips of her coffee, reflecting on the last few years. She spends the next fifteen minutes enjoying her caffeine and playing on her phone, when she hears a bunch of obnoxious giggling and annoying cooing sounds from her far left.

She glances up from her cell and arches a confused eyebrow when she realizes what all the commotion is about.

Speaking of flame Heroes.

It's Todoroki.

He looks a little harried, flustered, a whole lot confused, as a dozen or so teenage girls surround him. All of them swooning and sighing in happiness at every little thing that he says. Following him around like a gaggle of baby ducklings, asking him a million questions.

Well, if Bakugo was easily recognizable...it was even worse for Half-n-Half. With that bi-colored hair, passive expression and literally just being Endeavour's son. He was probably the most identifiable one out of them all and had been popular and well known even before he'd gotten into U.A.

The girls are practically hanging off of him and he's wide eyed, glancing around at all of them, like he's looking for an escape route, but is too polite to shoo them away. He's stuck. Cornered. Caught between a rock and a hard place

Bakugo can't help but smirk. Bastard looks like he needs some help.

Haha, sucks to be him...

At least she isn't the only one who is suffering right now.

She is thoroughly enjoying the panicked look that is slowly washing over his face, the more forward and fast talking all the girls get. But then, just as she thinks that thought, his mismatched gaze catches her own...and the look of relief that crosses his face when he spots her makes her insides feel like jelly.

She uses every ounce of will power that she has to not blush at his gaze, but she has to work for it.

She still hasn't come to terms with whatever she's been feeling for him lately.

“Bakugo!” he calls out, pushing through all the girls and steadily making his way closer. “Fancy meeting you here...” he says, like they hadn't just come all the way from U.A together, on that stupid dumb bus. Acting like he was surprised to see her.

“Tch,” she scowls, narrowing her eyes at him. But she stands up, dusting herself off and putting her phone in her pocket. “Yeah, imagine that..” she deadpans, her gaze still unimpressed.

Todoroki just gives her a small grin, “how are you...?”

She just gives him a look. “Made some friends, did you?” she whispers, out of ear shot. Most of the girls have backed off, eyeing her warily. Bakugo's demeanor just naturally exuding her intimidating and harsh personality. To the point where they no longer wanted to approach them.

Mina has called it resting bitch face a few times.

She's not inclined to disagree with her.

Katsuki can't help but smirk when she overhears one of them saying “...is that Bakugo Katsuki? Holy cow, she's even more scary in person!”

He just gives her a tense frown. “Just a few.” He is eyeing her, pleading for her to help him. She huffs out a sound, rolling her eyes and grabs his wrist in her hand, pulling him away. “Show's over now,” she calls over her shoulder, glaring hard at all the girls. Some of the kids actually glare back at her, apparently pissed that she'd taken their play thing away. It makes her laugh. “Go bother someone else and mind your damn business!”

She flips them off and cackles evilly when she hears their shocked and affronted gasps. “What a bitch!” they say.

But she literally gives no crap about that!

Because she was a bitch and she owned that shit like no other.

Kay, thanks!

She pulls them through the many throngs of people, weaving in and out of bodies around a populated area, before they reached an escalator that would take them up to the Second Level.

Todoroki is quietly chuckling as he's ushered on to the moving stairs. Bakugo turns her head to look at him and catches Icyhot glancing at their joint hands, his fingers clenching to secure her grip...and...and... huh?!

When the heck had that happened? 

Katsuki feels her face flush. Shit! They were holding hands! Oh god! The fuck!? She catches Todoroki lazily watching her, eyes vibrant, his sky blue one glittering in mirth as he continued to snicker. 

She practically throws his hand away like it has the ick...and crosses her arms over her chest, as the escalator takes them higher. She ignores his missing warmth from her palm, the feelings that his touch had invoked and the way that her body instinctively wanted to reach back out.

Or, well, she tries to ignore it...

She's leaning against the railing, eyeing him and his clear amusement, willing herself to calm the fuck down. It was just a hand! A quick little accident after she'd dragged him away. Nothing to it at all. Nope. Nothing. 

Todoroki takes her dismissal in stride, grinning down at her.

“The hell is so funny?” she mutters, face burning.

“My hero...” he fake swoons, lip twitching. "Thank you for saving me."

She rolls her eyes again. “Only you would get mugged by a group of teenie boppers...”

“Tennie what?” and he's chuckling again, shaking his head at her. She narrows her eyes and then he is frowning, expression harassed, like he had been before she'd rescued him. “They swarmed me. One minute I was walking and the next, I was ambushed...it was actually amazingly tactical. How quickly they managed to catch me.”

“Yeah, I believe it...” she hums, but then snorts, “you've always been a space case, so I'm not surprised.”

“Hey now, I was paying attention,” he says defensively, looking shifty, shrugging, “mostly.”

“Sure, sure...and what happened to the buddy system, huh?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he hums, smirking down at her.

“Tch.”

They step off the escalator, to a floor that is less populated and sort of just pick a direction, shuffling through the mall at a snails pace, no real direction in mind. She spots a trash can and deposits her empty coffee cup inside of it on their way forward.

When Katsuki checks her cell, it's only been an hour and she sighs to herself, frustrated that she still has three more hours before this hell on earth was over.

“Sooo...want to be my buddy?” Todoroki suddenly asks, after walking in silence for the last few minutes. He just blurts that shit out. The usual Half-n-Half bullshit! “Since we are both...buddy-less...?”

Katsuki feels her lips purse. Soured. “Um...no! I don't want to be your buddy, ew...”

She knows that he's talking about the 2-person system and not, actual, friendship. But it still sounds weird. She didn't want to be fucking pals with Todoroki, that much she knew for sure. What she did want, however, she was just as equally unsure of...

She thinks of his hand gripping hers again...and immediately has to shake her head. No! Stay focused! 

“You don't want to be my buddy, Bakugo?” He is playing up the theatrics, his expression sad and pathetic. 

The word keeps making her skin crawl. “Gah, stop saying it like that...”

He blinks innocently, but he is anything but. “Saying what? Buddy? What's wrong with the word buddy?”

“Nothing! It's just--”

“Not wanting to be my buddy, isn't very buddy-like, Bakugo...”

She feels her eyes widen at the absurdity of this conversation. “Are you freaking serious right now?”

“I've never been more serious of anything in my entire life,” he says, face impassive, staring down at her from their height difference. He then smirks, “buddy.”

“STOP SAYING THAT!” she growls, already fed up. “I'm not your fucking buddy, idiot!”

He makes a noise. “You wound me.”

“Good!”

“...and here I thought we'd come so far these last few years,” and he is joking and he acting like a drama queen. But she is getting increasingly riled up anyway. He always knew just where and when to push her buttons. She swears that he enjoys pissing her off!

“Tch, you thought wrong!”

“No, I don't think that I have," and...he sounds so certain, that she pauses in their banter and frowns. Todoroki has this twinkle in his eye, like there is some kind of hidden meaning in his soft words. As if he knows something she doesn't.

He's...he's giving her that look again. All soft and fond. The one that she's been seeing a lot more lately. The one that reminds her of Mina's words from earlier in the week.

'I see how he looks at you, Kat...'

His expression makes her flustered. 

“How about you just shut up and walk silently before I push you over the railing, hah?!” She doesn't understand what that look means! So she gets defensive. Tries to brush it off and move past it, before her insides explode into mush. 

Calm the fuck down. It's just stupid Todoroki and his bullshit again! It doesn't mean anything.

He doesn't say anything to counter her words, keeping silent and doing as she wished for the first time ever. He just continues beside her at a leisurely pace, glancing around to the different shops and watching certain people.

They round another corner, and fuck...how big were these floors?! They'd been walking for twenty minutes now and they still weren't back to the escalators. Doing a loop to kill time.

Todoroki stays silent next to her for almost ten minutes, casually resting a hand inside his dark blue jeans. He's got on a light grey turtleneck with a charcoal overcoat, the warm fabric hanging unbuttoned and draping past his mid-thigh, polished and tapered to fit him and stupidly expensive.

At least Icyhot finally learned how to dress himself, instead of the shitty clothing combinations she'd seen him wear all through First Year. It's a goddamn double-edged sword though, because she found it hard to keep her eyes off of him sometimes

She's not sneaking glances at him!

She's not!

“Did you know that the first known use of the phrase 'buddy-system' was recorded in 1942..?”

Jesus Christ Todoroki, I'm gonna murder you...

“I will literally fly away!” she threatens, gesturing towards the big openness of the mall and surrounding ceiling that shot up through every floor. “I'm warning you...”

He's silent again and just as she sighs in obvious relief, does she catch his stupid little smirk in the corner of her eye.

“What are you smirking at?”

He doesn't even hesitate. “You.”

“WHY!?”

He hums, clearly amused. “Instead of leaving like you normally would, you gave me a warning instead...” He's gazing at her intently, his eyes mischievous, but hooded. It does funny things to her insides, his face making her feel all tingly. “I guess that means you have to like me, even just a little bit.”

“You-!” but she opens her mouth and nothing, NOTHING!

Nothing comes out because he's fucking right and he knows he's right, and he knows, that she knows, that he's right, and she knows, that he knows, that she knows and ...and---

Ahhhhh! WHAT AM I EVEN GOING ON ABOUT!?

She sputters out a couple sentences of nonsense, before screeching, “why are you so annoying?!”

“I don't think I'm annoying.”

“Well you are!”

“No one else thinks I'm annoying...”

“Who cares about anyone else!? YOU are damn ANNOYING!”

“...and you're loud,” he mutters, sticking a finger in his ear that she'd just accidentally screamed in to, in her embarrassment. “I think you blew my eardrum...”

“NO I DIDN'T!”

He deadpans, “...and there goes the other one...”

...and holy fuck! Holy Fuck! She's gotta calm down before she blasts him in his face!

Her hands start to crackle. “If you don't STOP--”

“Look Bakugo, a cat shop...”

“If you...if you...” and she stops dead in her tracks, giving Todoroki a wild look as his attention is completely derailed from their bickering and he's heading towards a storefront. “Where the hell are you going?!”

“Cats!” and he points towards a small niche shop, sitting tucked away between two huge clothing stores. It was barely any bigger than their classroom.

It was ugly, it was horrible...it was...cats gone bananas...or...or something, they were fucking everywhere.

Her eyes bulge as she glances around to see hundreds of little knick knacks and trinkets of cats, cats, cats. Notebooks, book-bags, pencils, erasers, stickers, phone cases, lamps, blankets, calendars, mugs. You name it, it's got a dumb cat plastered all over it like some twisted fucking cat kink or something!

Todoroki whips his head towards her. “You like cats?”

She's seething. “Hell. Fucking. No.”

“They are my favorite animal,” he continues, like she wasn't staring at him with an ugly, shocked expression at the state of whatever the hell  was going on in this garish, horrifying nightmare of a store. He pulls her along toward the shop by her hand, even as she struggles against him. “How could you dislike them?”

“Cats suck monkeyballs!”

She hears him gasp and it's like, the most shocked she's ever heard him before. He glares at her, his stare is heated, while his mouth gapes at her for her sheer audacity.

She can't help the sudden giggles that start to spew out of her mouth, because he just looks so fucking pissed! It's hilarious! His nostrils are all flared and the vein in his forehead is shriveled up and vexed.

“The feline species are a majestic and elegant creature--”

“Oh! Here we go!” she gripes, rolling her eyes and smirking. “If you start quoting Animal Planet, I swear to god, I'll murder you for good.” But she's still amused at his affronted behavior. It's his turn now to get riled up and, quite frankly, it's a damn good look on him.

“You need a cat education,” he bites back pompously.

She just cackles, “whatever the hell that means!?”

“Hmph!”

“Tch,” and they just stare at each other, glaring and holding their ground, standing outside the stupid shop and probably looking like a bunch of dumb kids while they argued about fucking cats of all things.

“I'm going to peruse the wares...” Todoroki says out of the blue, heading into the shop and snubbing her, leaving her behind.

“Peruse the wares---ohmygod, I hate you!”

She does not follow him in!

No, she grumbles and snarls at anyone who looks her way as she sullenly leans against a wall a little ways off from the ridiculous cat apocalypse store. She's not waiting on him. She's just...she's just standing here...or whatever.

Shut up and leave her alone!

She should go! Run away while she's got a chance to escape! He's such a dick. He's such a fucking dick!

Why does she put up with this shit?!

'I guess that means you have to like me, even just a little bit...'

UGH!

Why did she have to have the hots for someone so goddamn infuriating?!

He does this shit on purpose!

He spends twenty minutes in the store. Twenty minutes of her life that she'll never get back. She sees his happiness when he notices her waiting for him around a corner and she can only give him a 30% glare this time, because fuck...he just looked so pleased to see her.

“You waited for me?”

She growls and stomps away. “Say. Nothing!”

Todoroki hums and keeps pace with her, finally keeping his mouth shut and just following her lead as they wandered aimlessly. She hadn't seen him with a bag or anything, so she's not sure if he'd bought any of the trinkets in the store, but she doesn't ask, because...

She just doesn't ask!

They are walking for a while when suddenly, they hear a commotion from above. Loud voices and many many many people all talking over one another.

Todoroki and Bakugo both stop short and glance up, realizing that they have a clear view up to the Third Level from their vantage point on Level 2. They hear all the shouting and loud voices. “Look, it's Deku! Oh, Uravity is here too! And Red Riot!”

“CLASS 3-A!! IT'S CLASS 3-A!”

“Look man, it's Tokoyami!”

“And Queen Alien is here, fuck she's awesome, I love her!”

“Can we have your autograph!”

“Can I have your number, Deku?!”

“Iida-saaaaan”

“Whoah! Is invisible girl here too?!”

“We love you Minetaaaaa!”

“Look! It's Hawks!”

“He's so freakin' manly guys! His new wings are even cooler than before!”

“HAWKS! OVER HERE!”

“DEKU! DEKU CAN I TAKE A PICTURE?!”

“What the actual fuck!?” Bakugo finally says, when the mob of people just starts to get even worse, even wilder. They can hear their friends interacting with their fans, trying to calm everyone down, even from the level below. They were apparently right in front of the place that Hawks was doing his mall signing and a huge mob has ensued.

When the chaos starts to ramp up, Todoroki questions, “should we go help them?”

“Hell no! Those losers wanted to come here so bad, let them eat shit!” her shouting unknowingly draws the attention of some fans that were leaning closer to the railing on Level 3, who could spot them very easily down on the floor below.

“HEY LOOK!” One fan calls out, catching the attention of twenty more. “IT'S TODOROKI...AND HOLY SHIT...IS THAT BAKUGO KATSUKI TOO? IS ALL OF U.A's CLASS-A HERE TODAY? DO WE GET HAWKS AND CLASS A!? SOMEONE BETTER BE VLOGGING THIS!”

“Ahhhh! Todoroki!!!!!!”

“Oh fuck!” she hisses, both of their eyes going wide.

“TODOROKI AND BAKUGO ARE ON THE SECOND LEVEL EVERYONE! CAN WE HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?!”

“TODOROKI?!”

“Bakugo, you're such a babe!!”

...and before their very eyes, thirty something or others start sprinting to the escalator that would take them to Second Level.

Icyhot hisses, "uh oh..."

"Oh HELL NO!" Bakugo sneers. She plows into Half-n-Half's side, almost tripping over him in her haste. “Move move move!” she freaks, pushing Todoroki to get him going. “Run! Fucking go, Icyhot!!”

He doesn't need to be told twice, both of them hauling ass.

They run for their lives.

It's not very manly or heroic, but one must know when the odds are stacked against them, in order to survive.

Getting mauled to death by crazy, civilian fans was not the way that Bakugo Katsuki was going to go out.

Does it even bare repeating that she HATES, this stupid fucking MALL?

Both of them skid around a corner, almost bumping into an elderly couple in their haste, “shit, sorry!” she growls, sidestepping them and keeping pace with Todoroki. They pivot around another corner, hearing the footsteps and voices from the mob currently chasing them.

Shit! They are catching up!

Just as they round another corner, those pounding footsteps and chaotic shouting growing ever closer in their pursuit, is she suddenly being grabbed in a harsh grip and then manhandled into a booth of some sort.

“Icyhot--!” she shouts, when her head accidentally smacks against the booth wall, from the inside. “What the fuck?!”

“Shhh,” he whispers, his lips caressing the side of her head from their close proximity and how Todoroki had practically dive bombed them in here. The icy bastard had crashed into her in his hurry and he was pinning her to the wall, making it hard for her to breath

They tense and straighten up when they hear the mob of fans flutter past the booth in droves, like they are a goddamned horde of zombies or something just as stupid! But they are so rambunctious and loud, that even if the two heroes had made any noise they probably wouldn't have heard them anyway.

Finally, as it quiets down around them the farther the mob went, Todoroki sits himself up into a more respectable position. But the booth is small and they are forced to squish against one another.

“Fuckin' hate the mall, stupid Aizawa...” she says, slamming her foot against the booth, leaning back against the seating. She's pouting, running lithe fingers through her short beach curls, feeling a little out of breath, adrenaline pumping through her veins. Wanting to fight, fight, fight!

“That was entirely too close for comfort,” Todoroki remarks, frantically checking himself over, like he might have been shot or something, tch!

“Ya think!?” she growls, huffing and kicking the stupid booth again in front of her. “This is why I didn't want to come to this stupid place! Everyone knows who we are in this city!”

“It's never been this bad...”

“Speak for yourself, Half-n-Half!”

“DID YOU SEE THEM RUN PAST HERE?” comes a crazed, female voice and suddenly part of the mob is back, literally standing outside and around the small booth they are sitting in. All the air gets sucked out of both of their lungs while they wait, wondering if they will be caught at any second.

“WHERE'D THEY GO?! ARE YOU SURE THAT WAS TODOROKI AND BAKUGO?”

“I swear! It was them!”

“They probably aren't here! You were just seeing things!”

“No, it was them. I saw them both as well!”

“ME TOO!”

“ME THREE!”

...then, another voice, shouting from farther away. “SOMEONE SAID THEY SPOTTED THEM HEADING TOWARDS THE EXIT! COME ON! QUICK BEFORE WE LOOSE THEM!”

The mob disperses again, and with it, the quiet returns once more.

Both of them sigh out heavily when they are left alone again.

Bakugo runs a shaky hand through her blonde hair again. “Jesus, I feel like I'm fighting the League or something!”

“Thank goodness this booth was here or we'd have been toast...”

“What even is this?!” she questions, glancing around and taking stock of their surroundings.

There was a small, cushioned bench inside and a long black curtain that hung over the entire entryway, hiding them from any mall shoppers. She takes a minute to inspect the place and just as she makes the horrifying realization of where they are, Todoroki is making a small delighted sound. “Oh! I know this place...”

“Wah--?”

Then 'PING!'...the booth lights up neon colors and goes haywire with all kinds of crazy sounds and happy noises as it speaks to them. A screen lights up with a cute graphic of a Chibi girl with red hair taking a picture of a fox, before they are staring back at their owns faces as a camera mirrors their reflections. The machine encourages them to choose a bunch of different photo options and she's suddenly understanding where exactly they've stumbled into.

It's one of those kiddy photo booths that Deku had always dragged her to when they were kids. It's pink pastel and has foxes and Chibi avatars decorating the space, girly and kiddish and like...way more pink than she liked.

In fact, fuck pink...this shit was literally blinding her. She has never worn anything pink in her entire life and never would!

This is a booth for younger children, for families or little siblings to enjoy and not eighteen year old kids who hated getting their picture taken in the first place.

She tries to escape, but she has to pass Todoroki to get to the door and he stops her and drags her back to her place, literally kicking and screaming. Much like a small child herself.

“Let me out!”

“We should probably wait here a few more minutes, give the mob out there time to disperse...” is his excuse.

Katsuki gives him a look. “I don't want my picture taken! Why the hell did you even pay to turn it on?!” because in order for the machine to start, money had to be inserted, otherwise is was just a small, dark cramped space with a curtain.

“I've done this with Midoriya and Ochako a few times, it's kinda fun...” he says simply, giving her shoulder a small nudge. She glances at his face, noticing that same relaxed gaze of his that he usually has when he regards her.

'I see the way he looks at you, Kat...'

Gah, stupid Mina. It reminds her of how much she'd been obsessing over that very thing for the last little while.

She's noticed it too.

How he watches her.

Stares at her when he thinks she's not looking, but obviously is!

How he's soft with her. How he seeks her out, more often than not, to do little mundane things. Watch T.V, study, work out or even just go for afternoon walks, once school had finished for the day. How he picks her to partner up with during written course work and watches her intently during English speaking class, while she's reading out some lines to their teacher.

How he's been paying attention to her more recently...and also...those damnable cookies.

His left palm resting warmly against her backside, in comfort and concern the other day in the kitchen.

She feels herself gulp.

Holy fuck, they were way too damn close right now.

Todoroki motions to the screen, completely innocent to her thoughts. “How about we try it out? Since we've got to sit tight for a little while, at least it won't be boring?”

“I'm not taking pictures with you Icyhot! I--” but he hits a button or something, and a flash of a camera initiates and takes their first picture. “Todoroki!” she screeches, fighting with him and trying to wrestle his hands from the touch screen. “Stop it!”

“What's a couple of pictures, huh?”

“Do you want to die?!”

'CLICK!'

“NO! STOP IT!” She roars, looking heated and crazed and ridiculously ruffled.

'CLICK!'

He starts to laugh at her!

This motherfucker!

Why is he so obtuse?

Because it's fucking Todoroki! THAT'S WHY!

'CLICK!'

“THAT'S IT!” She yells, rearing up to give him a good smacking on his head. But Todoroki giggles at her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her back down to the bench and sliding her close to him.

“Okay, okay, I won't take any more...no need for violence, er...any more violence I mean, heh...”

She grumbles under her breath, giving him a 50% death glare, feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand on end when he doesn't release her waist. Instead, he just soothingly rubs at it instead. Likely to calm her down, but shit...his hands felt like fire, even through her layers of clothing and it kind of makes her melt...just a little bit.

She feels a familiar throb between her thighs and tenses up a bit, feeling turned on by his touch and the way she was being watched.

Dammit Icyhot...what are you doing to me?

“It won't kill you to take just a few,” and she blames her lack of outright rejection when Todoroki just casually strokes a strand of her hair over the back of her ear. Like it's nothing at all and it's just crazy for how her body reacts to that.

It sends a thousand tiny goosebumps shivering through her and she has to breath in deep, to take a mental step back, before she does something reckless and impulsive.

She glances at his lips, they are so so close... but immediately scolds herself and looks away, frowning at the pink booth wall, which she firmly fixes her gaze too. She chances a look at his mismatched eyes again and sees how hopeful he looks, like he really is excited to take some lame ass pictures with her.

There's those damn butterflies again...

She wants to burn them with fire.

Die. Die. Die!

“Fine, whatever, take your stupid pictures...”

“Really?”

She turns to him, glaring, “that's what I said, wasn't it?”

He doesn't question her again, just moves to position them. “Ochako and Midoriya have a set list of posses they do. We could pick the staple ones out of that list and do those?”

“You get 10 poses, Icyhot.”

He shakes his head, “actually, I was thinking about getting the twenty dollar picture package, with 25 images.”

“You get 10, that's it. You're lucky I'm not making it the 5 for 5 package! Or the no picture package!”

“But we've already used up 4 of the poses,” he tries to argue.

“You mean you did, hah?” she bites back, smirking at him. “So now you only get 6 poses, Ha! Ha! Take it or leave it!”

He tries to give her a sad pout, but she just blows a raspberry at him and gets gross bits of saliva on his face, 100% on purpose, she might add.

“Very mature,” he sighs, rolling his eyes and wiping at his face. She shrugs and turns to the camera, scowling when she sees them both staring back at her in the mirrored reflection.

“Alright,” he says, getting closer to her, if that shit is even possible. “Midoriya has an entire two pages in one of his notebooks dedicated to 'Proper Photo Booth Poses' but--”

“Spare me the snooze-fest of Deku!”

“One of the most common is a funny face,” he then says.

“Can you even make a funny face, Icyhot?” and she's like...genuinely curious, because unless you count the faces you make when fighting villains, she'd never even seen Todoroki smile. Let alone make any other kind of face, other than perfectly put together and passive. He has his moments sometimes, where he is amused and holding it back. But for the most part, he usually operated in the standard, vague expressions category.

It was almost a complete counter opposite to herself, considering she practically breathed emotional sleeve and compared to him, she had a literal bible of different facial expressions that she used on the daily.

He was never dull or lifeless though. He was pretty animated and his eyes and tone of voice spoke more than his physical features, but he was basically a cool under pressure kinda guy.

“I guess we're going to find out...” he muses.

“You mean you've never done it with Deku and Pink Cheeks?”

“I've had a few taken with them, but not really?”

She eyes him, wondering what that means. He's never done funny faces with them, but he's doing them with her, now?

What's your fucking deal, Icyhot?  she wonders

“Alright then!” she pipes up, “show me your funny face! Do your absolute worst.”

To which he fully provides.

She's cackling like a crazy person and having a good time without even knowing how it happened.

They spend almost thirty minutes posing and taking pictures, grinning at their funny faces and just being dorks...kinda...SHE AIN'T A FUCKING DORK...but...whatever!

Todoroki goes through a few more poses, the “Serious Face”, to which they are perfect for.

The “Dramatic Face” in which they make ridiculously exaggerated expressions and hold them. Katsuki does a crying face, because of this entire day and Todoroki does a wobbly pout, his eyes scrunched up and damn...this was just getting out of control now.

Then there is the “Battle Pose”, which they have to stand up for, to pose in their signature, heroic stance. Complete with ugly faces and arm flexes a plenty. These poses just set them off again, bursting into childish giggles and, are we really acting like fucking children?

“'Sneak Attack Pose'!” she calls, making one up herself, sticking one of her fingers into Todoroki's ear after she'd licked it, giving him what they called a 'wet willy'. The camera goes off at the perfect time, moment of impact and catches his grossed out, constipated expression.

After they calm down from that, there is exactly 1 pose left and Todoroki has a thumb and forefinger to his chin, apparently debating the pose of choice for their final picture together.

“Let's go, Half-n-Half!”

“Hmm.”

“Did you hear me--?”

“I've got it!”

“Well? What is the pose called--”

...and suddenly, Todoroki's pressing his lips wetly against the side of her cheek.

She gasps under her breath, the sound punched out of her in a whisper, mouth falling open a little bit on the exhale.

She sees it all happening in the camera, her eyes widening, witnessing, but also feeling the moment his lips connect. A little wet, a little chapped, but warm and solid against her skin.

Its not until her face stains red and she looks away, glaring at the wall, does she realize the shutter in the camera had already flickered, capturing the moment.

Holy Christ...

Did this fucker just kiss her...?

“There,” comes his smooth voice and she snaps her crimson eyes to his mischievous ones. He's returned to his full height, but he appears unruly and charming, boyish and just like the cat that got the fucking canary. “I believe those are some of the posses that Ochako has drilled into my brain since First Year.”

“Yeah...” she mumbles, a little stunned.

More like shocked to all fucking hell!!

He turns towards the screen, clicking the button to finally power the booth down and print their ten pictures into wallet sized ones. The lights dim and fizzle out and they are replaced back into the darkened space, with only the white noise of an active mall to greet them.

She's still reeling...no words coming to her mind in the resounding silence.

Todoroki tucks his head around the curtain and glances around. “Looks like we're in the clear...” he says, grabbing her slack wrist and gently helping her out after him. He turns to the machine again, to a compartment on the outside that has their developed pictures. He pulls them out and glances over them quickly and her breath stutters out of her again when she watches him honest-to-god smile.

“Uh...” she blinks, her crimson eyes stupefied...and perhaps just a little fucking entranced...because damn, was he ever a pretty guy. But that smile...

It did things to her, made her feel weak in the knees, unsteady and off balance. She couldn't even find words right now for how she was feeling.

He'd kissed her.

Granted...it hadn't been on the lips.

But still...

...and now he was smiling?

Was Mina actually right? Was Todoroki interested in her like that?

Fuck, I wonder what his lips taste like..?

ACK!

“Bakugo...?” and she's pulled out of her thoughts, turning to face him, “do you want to keep any?” He's pushing the small roll of pictures towards her and she sees all the posses that Todoroki had somehow convinced her to do and thinks about how silly all of this is. But, she can't help the small bark a laughter when she sees the picture of Todoroki's face after she'd stuck her finger in his ear.

“That one,” she grins, pointing it out.

“Of course that's the one you like best...” he grumbles, but shrugs his shoulders and easily rips the pictures around the boarder, to give the single photo to her.

“Oh yeah? And which one it your favorite, huh?”

She immediately regrets asking when he points to their final picture, when Katsuki is staring wide eyed, face flushed red, while charming, boyish, princely Todoroki was delicately kissing her cheek as she had a mini heart attack.

All caught on camera, some of her feelings laid bare and on display.

They say a pictures worth a thousand words.

“Can I keep this one?” he suddenly asks.

“You bought them, technically they are all yours.”

...and why that one specifically...huh?!

Like...what the hell is even going on right now?!

“Which half do you want?”

She blushes, she has no idea why and folds her arms over her chest. “I just want this one, you can have the rest.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” she hisses out. She glances around the mall, trying to forget the feeling of his hands grasping her waist or the touch of his lips against her cheek. She's feeling really out of sorts and just wants to get away from this damn photo booth before she blows it to the moon. “You coming or what?” and starts walking, motioning with her head behind her.

“Oh, right, but lets be on the lookout though...just in case, okay?”

“Sure, whatever,” and they move back in the direction they came.

They roam for a good half-n-hour. Keeping companionable silence as they puttered around and window shopped.

She's literally got nothing to say. This day has been extremely up and down and she's having a hard time focusing anymore, now that Todoroki had completely derailed her entire thought process.

Smiling at her, kissing her cheek, holding her hand. Wanting to take pictures together...

If she didn't know any better...she might think this was a date or something.

She immediately bristles at the thought, because WHAT? Her and Todoroki? On a date...dating...?

It's not possible, right?

Never. Never gonna happen. Never in a million years...

Besides, if this actually was a date...there would probably be food involved.

Yeah, she's just nuts. Todoroki is only acting like his normal, unorthodox self and she's seriously, seriously reading way too much into something that is probably harmless.

“Oh!”

“Huh?” she startles.

She's then being jerked back, by a grip on her hand and...and when the FUCK had they started holding hands again!? Oh god! She stumbles practically into Half-n-Half's arms by accident. Her face is already turning cranky as they clash once again, like they had in the damn photo booth where Todoroki had put his lips on her.

Gah! Why can't she stop thinking about it?

...and why the hell does she want it to happen again for Christ sake?!

“Look!” and he's pointing with his other hand, “soba!” he announces, and he looks SO excited. She glances down the strip and realizes that they are close to the Food Court. “We've still got over an hour until we have to be back at the bus,” he continues, the breath from his words fluttering over her hair for how close they were, “how about some food?”

She leans against him for a full 20 seconds in shock, her face heated and mouth a little slack. He's still holding her hand and she feels a little frantic, her heart beating unsteadily when they catch and lock gazes.

It's a little heated and she wonders if she's the only one whose feeling the electricity between them.

Both of them watch the other, the tension palpable and Katsuki finds herself glancing at those enticing lips again, wondering how they might taste.

Fuck!

Fuuuck.

Get a fucking grip, she hollers at her flustered self.

She pushes him away, straightening herself up and giving him a glare when he just gives her a pensive stare. She rolls her shoulder and pulls her leather jacket more securely around her, trying to give herself a little more confidence in the wake of her errant feelings and thoughts. “No way in hell am I eating gross soggy noodles.”

“There are other food stands,” he claims, coming close and resting his arm gently around her shoulder, giving her a soft grin when she says nothing and just lets him, her crimson eyes wide again. “There's ramen. You like ramen, right?”

“Of course I like ramen!”

“Perfect.”

He ushers them forward and leads them towards the Food Court that was located on Level Four.

How does he always talk me into this shit!? He always gets his way! Rotten bastard!

Somehow, miraculously, they have been left alone. The unruly mob from earlier having dispersed somewhere, probably back at the Hawks signing and since they were steering clear of the Third Level, they'd managed to go incognito since they'd vacated the booth.

The Food Court is huge, at least thirty different stands and shops outlining a huge sitting area. Lots of tables and chairs, but also a few booths as well, hidden a little ways off to the side.

They both go their separate ways, ordering their respective meals. Spicy ramen for her, lame cold soba for him, and meet back up somewhere around the middle ten minutes later.

Todoroki nods his head at her in greeting when they connect again and points across the room towards the more inconspicuous tables. She shrugs and shimmies her way through the space, throwing herself into one of the two-person sitting booths at the very end of the Court.

Todoroki immediately attacks his noodles once they sit down and get comfortable.

“Jesus, have some fucking manners, Icyhot,” she gripes, when he starts to slurp his food obnoxiously.

“Sooo good,” he practically moans, and she feels hyper aware of it, of his mouth and how it shapes itself around his chopsticks.

Down girl! Sit the fuck down!

“Ugh,” she sighs, when Todoroki just continues to slurp away, giving her a smug look, knowingly annoying her. The asshole!

“You're something else...” she mutters, taking care to eat her own meal before it gets cold. At least she has some respectable eating habits.

Todoroki just hums, slurping a few more bites, before wiping his face with a napkin. “So...” he drawls, eyeing her. “Got anymore Valentine cards since the last one?”

She scowls, but watches him closely. Feeling suspicious. “Tch, I told you I'm not talking about that shit anymore...”

“Ah...so that means that you have..."

“It's none of your business,” she growls.

“Perhaps not, but it is entertaining...”

“How the hell is any of it entertaining?”

“It just is,” and that's his simple answer. So Todoroki-like that she can't even be annoyed at it, because he's just always like this.

She picks at her meal, using her chopsticks to push around a few vegetables in her bowl. “Why so interested, anyway?” She'd asked him that before, when they'd been in the kitchen, eating a meal together, just like right now. He'd gave his reasoning then too...but what, exactly, was his reasoning now?

Was he curious because he wanted to make sure she was available?

Or was there some other reason?

Was he jealous? Of someone else vying for her attention.

He just gives her a shrug, not really answering the question. “You have a secret admirer...or at least, that's what Mina has been calling it.”

Bakugo narrows her eyes, "...and why would you be asking Mina about that? Huh?" Super...super suspicious.

"Just...curious, is all...

“Pfft, fucking Mina and her big mouth!”

He fiddles with his chopsticks. “So...still no ideas who is could possibly be?”

She gives him a flat look. “You really think I care enough to try and find out?”

“Well, according to Mina--”

“Mina don't know shit!” she practically yells, but quickly quiets down, glancing around the enormous Food Court, to make sure that she hadn't accidentally induced another mob. “Shit!”

Todoroki just chuckles, “we're fine.”

“If you must know, “ she says, pretending to be annoyed, acting all posh and sophisticated while she continues to eat her meal. “I don't have any leads. I have no idea who it is.”

“That's too bad, I'm kind of curious...I think most of us are, to be honest...”

“Tch, of course you are, nosey bastards...”

“I think the others have a bet going, actually...”

“Seriously?”

Todoroki grins, ”yeah, but I think it has more to do with what you are going to do to the person when you find out who it is. Apparently our class has become very invested in this outcome."

“Idiots. You're all a bunch of idiots!” she grumbles. But Todoroki doesn't ask her any more about dumb pink cards and holidays that she'd like to forget about, for which she's grateful.

She's still eating when a small orange box slides into view on her left side, all sneaky-like.

“What the actual hell, Todoroki?”

“It's cute, right?” and he's way too amused with himself. He's leaning his cheek on his palm, elbow on the table, while he regards her, his twinkling gaze unmistakable.

“What the fuck is that?!” It's small and compact like a cellphone. The box is orange in color, but with a happy-faced brown cat on the front of the box, saying “Yum Yum!”

“It's pocky? Haven't you ever had it before?”

She picks up the box and glowers at the dumb cat. “Did you get this shit from that stupid store?”

“Of course. I couldn't pass it up.”

“Tch,” she flicks the pocky box back and Todoroki easily catches it, looking surprised.

He seems discouraged. “Don't you like it?”

She frowns. “Why does that matter? It's for you, isn't it? Why do you care if I like it?”

“Oh, no, I got this one for you...” He slides the orange treat back over and then digs around in his charcoal coat, pulling out three other boxes of pocky, all with various colors and different cat faces. “These I got for me...”

“Oh my god...” and like, is she really surprised? Like, at all?

No, no she's fucking not. She's actually more shocked that there isn't anything else and--

“Um, I also got these as well...” and it's like he's reading her mind, because he also pulls out two key-chains, a cat phone case and a small pad of sticky notes that had white kittens on the small pages. “...though I may have gotten carried away.”

Oh my god, are you actually for real?  “You think?!”

“Ah, there is also this too...” then there is a tie sitting on the table, next to all his ridiculous purchases. It's got so many cat faces on it that she can't even look at it.

“When the hell are you even going to wear something like that?”

Todoroki just smirks, looking proud of himself. “To my next family dinner. Might wear it when we have a big business meeting too, with some of my father's subordinates and agency clients. I think he would get a kick out of it.”

Bakugo just gapes at him and then starts to snicker. “You mean he's going to loose his shit!?” but he probably wouldn't, because they would be in public and Endeavour had an image to sustain after all. But that would just make it better.

“Exactly,” he nods, but then he's teasing, acting like an oblivious bastard, “isn't that what I said?”

“Ahahah! No! I can't fucking believe you sometimes...” she only says that because it's the truth and Todoroki wearing some gaudy tie to his fathers precious dinner meeting would probably be the funniest thing she's ever seen.

“Why? I think it would go over well...” he deadpans. She can see that he's trying to hold back his laughter at his own behavior.

“You know exactly how he'll react to that fucking thing!”

He nods. “Yes and that is why, this tie in particular, is perfect.”

She can't help but roll her eyes and shake her head, watching as Todoroki begins gathering up all his ridiculous cat shit and places it back into his coat. “You know...most kids who hate their parents just move out and never look back.”

“Yeah well, most kids don't have Endeavour as a father. I couldn't escape him, even if I wanted to. So I'm forced to play a different kind of game with him." He shrugs to himself. "Besides...I don't hate him...at least, not anymore.”

“True,” she takes a couple bites of her mostly finished ramen dish, watching Todoroki do the same. “You're such a little shit disturber. If you ever grow the balls to wear that thing in his presence, you better fucking record that shit 'cause I wanna see him try to keep his cool in front of every one.”

He grins at her, “noted. I'll do my best.”

“Tch.”

Todoroki takes his last bite of food and leans back against the cushion of the booth. "Honestly, he's kind of mellowed out since Hawks decided to join him at the Agency. I think they make a great team and Hawks has done wonders for making my Father less...high-strung...for lack of a better word. He might not even care about the tie."

Katsuki can't help but smirk, fishing for information. "You know there are some...interesting rumors going around about them right now, huh?"

"I've heard."

"...and?"

Todoroki tilts his head, "and what?"

Katsuki scoffs, "well, do any of them have a shred of merit? Or is it just all talk?"

Icyhot grins, appearing tight lipped. "Bakugo, I never took you for a gossip monger. Have our friends been rubbing off on you?"

Bakugo rolls her eyes, "tch! I'm just curious..." she teases, throwing his words back in his face. "Besides, I'd rather hear it from the source if Endeavour is boning his new Agency partner."

Todoroki makes a choked off sound and Katsuki grins manically. She loves catching him off guard. 

Icyhot makes a face at her words, disgusted with the mental images that she can clearly see running right through his head. 

"I can neither confirm nor deny..." he finally settles on. "Ew..."

Katsuki starts to laugh. "That's it? That's all I get? Do you even know? There hasn't been any weirdness?"

"Oh, there has been some very suspicious behavior lately..." Todoroki confirms, and that peaks Bakugo's interest immensely. "Also...a little birdie told me that Hawks might be living at my Father's new compound with him."

Bakugo arches an eyebrow, "you mean Tokoyami?"

It would make sense. Tokoyami spent most of his days interning with Hawks, now that he's been accepted back as a Hero and his license got renewed. It was business as usual for the Flight Hero. 

Todoroki nods, "he says they spend a lot of time together..."

"Well, they are Agency partners...so I guess you could write it off as a work thing..."

"I guess..." he mutters, "but, Father was the one advocating for Hawks these past few years...and he also was the one who commissioned those new support wings for him...so who knows? Maybe they are just really good friends? But I've never seen my Father so interested and invested in another person like that. So, it makes me question things." Icyhot sighs, leaning his head against his right fist. "Really, when it comes down to it, I've been trying not to think about it."

Bakugo frowns, "would it bother you, if they were together like that?"

She watches as Todoroki's eyes widen. "No! I mean...not like that? I don't care what gender my Father is into...it's just...He's my Dad...it's, kind of gross? I don't want to see him in love...or whatever. I mean...I want him to be happy...but I don't need to be all up in their business. If it is true, then fine, it matters very little to me. If I am being frank...Hawks makes the most amount of sense anyway. So, if they are happy...then...who am I to stand in their way?"

Katsuki can't help but push, "it doesn't freak you out at all?"

Todoroki gives her a pointed look, "have you meet my family? Hawks and my Father having a secret relationship is pretty tame compared to everything else that's happened over the years. Especially once Dabi's identity came out. Honestly, it's nice just to have a normal bit of family drama for once."

She supposes he is right on that one. Dabi's identity being revealed as Shouto's long lost, very much not dead, older brother Touya Todoroki, had shocked the entire nation. Not only that, but Dabi had done everything in his power to kill Endeavour and Shouto during the War. With no remorse whatsoever. Now, he was sitting in an asylum, receiving treatment...

Bakugo doesn't know how that kind of crazy could ever be rehabilitated. But she keeps those kinds of thoughts to herself. It wasn't her business. Dabi would die in that asylum...she was sure of it. He'd killed so many people, she was surprised he hadn't gotten the death penalty. But, she knows that had a lot to do with Endeavour and the money he'd spent on lawyers, trying to keep his son from death row. He'd fought and fought and used himself as a scapegoat in Dabi's defense. Using his trauma to plead insanity. It had been world-wide news, the trial public on every media station...and really...parts of it had been hard to watch and listen to. 

She supposes, in the grand scheme of things, Endeavour being with Hawks was mediocre and nothing at all to get into a tiff about. 

Both she and Todoroki sit in companiable silence for a little while, digesting the new information. It is not until a little while later, that Icyhot slides the orange colored pocky box back in her direction. 

“So...do you accept?”

She arches an eyebrow. “Accept what?”

“The pocky.”

“No, I hate that shit!”

Icyhot frowns. “I thought you might like it, it's supposed to be caramel flavored.”

Todoroki is acting weird again. “Why do you keep giving me stuff?!”

This is just like the stupid cookies all over again and she refuses to go down that fucking rabbit hole of bullshit!

He just shrugs, not really giving her an answer. Which pisses her off, but what else is new?

“Take it back!” she growls, throwing it back at him, like it's got the plague or something. As far as she's concerned, it does. With the way she'd reacted to him stealing cookies for her, she doesn't need any more reminders of her ridiculously botched feelings for him.

Especially now that there was physical evidence, in those pictures that they'd taken.

Fuck! She swears, she'll skin him alive if he shows those photos to anyone else.

Ugh!

He grins at her. “Come on, they're harmless.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Not interested. Take your weird cat fetish pocky and leave me outta it!”

Todoroki just pouts a bit and picks up the orange box, looking at it sadly.

She tries to ignore him. Pretends that he's not giving her the saddest look to ever exist on this godforsaken planet! Seriously?! Do his eyes have to look so fucking pathetic? Why can't he just fuck off?!

“But I got them for you.”

“SO?”

“Bakugo...”

“Don't do that!”

He tilts his head, his mismatched bangs fluttering attractively over his forehead, “do what?”

“That!” she hisses, pointing to all of him.

“I'm not doing anything.”

“Yes you are!”

“Are you sure?”

“Am I what?!”

“What's the problem?” he questions, frowning, “it's just a box of pocky?”

“It's not---ack!” she can't even try to explain herself. It's not just a box of pocky. It's everything that comes with it. It's the fact that he saw something and thought of her. Went out of his way to get her a gift or a ...whatever it was, just because he wanted to.

It's for everything else! Her feelings. Their banter. His warmth against her. His looks and his touches and the way he's just always in her space. She huffs out a sound and slams back against the booth, completely fed up with this entire conversation.

Todoroki just sighs, apparently fed up as well. He's glancing down at the rejected treat, cheek leaning against his hand again, giving her a forlorn gaze, “...and you call me oblivious...” he says out of nowhere.

EXCUSE YOU?!

Her eyebrows fly into her hairline. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

His mouth tilts up and he has a knowing, ominous look, “you'll figure it out eventually. Maybe”

“What does...? Gah! Forget it!” she growls and stands up in her seat. Feeling steam rise and release from her ears, a telltale sign that she's going to loose her mind here in a moment. She quickly reaches over and snatches the stupid freaking pocky. “There! Are you happy now?!”

He's just nods, “yes, very.”

She curses under her breath, placing the dumb orange box with the obnoxious cat inside her jacket, just to be done with the damn thing. She places it next to the one photo that she'd kept from their impromptu picture session and tries to forget about it, pretending that both items aren't burning a hole in her pocket.

Stupid Todoroki. Stupid Todoroki and his dumb animal obsessions and bringing her treats and kissing her fucking cheek!

She's fuming so hard in her seat, she's surprised it hasn't caught on fire.

They finally finish eating, silently, she might add...thank god, and just as they are getting ready to pack up and leave do they hear a sudden roar of shouting, all the way on the other side of the Food Court.

“Oh my god, again?!” she growls, sliding herself further into the booth, so that she won't be seen.

Can't this day just be over already?!

“Ummm...”

All they hear is half their class shrieking and running past the Court, stumbling over each other and freaking the hell out trying to escape. Then a mob of frenzied fans fly around the corner, notebooks and cameras at the ready, all trying to get a piece of their Heroes.

“THIS WAY!”

“Deeeekkkkuuu!”

“WAIT CLASS A! WE STILL NEED MORE PICTURES!”

“PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CAN I JUST HAVE ONE MORE AUTOGRAPH, FOR MY DYING AUNT! OH! AND FOR MY SICK...UH...OLDER GRANDMA?”

Todoroki turns to her, “should we--?”

“Nope.”

“But I think this time they actually need our help...” he says.

“No.”

“Bakugo!”

She glances at the horde of monster fans running past the Food Court and the frantic shouting that she can hear from...Kaminari? She can't help but burst into a ridiculously evil grin, her teeth showing wide and crazy at the thought of Pikachu getting mauled to death... "yeah, I don't think so.”

Yeah, serves that fucker right.

“HEEEEELLLLPPPPP!” and it's definitely the lightening hero. Her evil smirk just gets bigger.

“But...”

“Not gonna happen.”

Todoroki just sighs and shakes his head, but he does not, in fact, move from his seat.

Hahah, uhuh, that's what I thought...

Then they hear a voice over the PA system that has them bursting into laughter.

“WOULD THE ANGRY MOB ON LEVEL 4 PLEASE CEASE AND DESIST BEFORE WE ARE FORCED TO CALL SECURITY! MY WORD! IT'S LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HEROES BEFORE!”

...and wow...just, wow.

Twenty minutes later and it's finally, finaalllly time to leave. She's almost got a skip in her step as they deposit their garbage in the appropriate waste receptacles. She's glancing around the area, looking for any crazed fans that might pop up and attack them as they head out.

Unlike Half-n-Half, she doesn't just leave herself wide open like an idiot!

“Well, mob of people not withstanding...I have to say that this day wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...” and Todoroki is eyeing her, giving her a small grin, one of his hands in his pockets as they walk back through the mall.

She's a little surprised, quirking an eyebrow, “what? You hate the mall too?”

“I don't hate it...but, it's not my favorite place to be...too many crowds and...tiny children.”

“Tch,” and she's smirking. “Just say you hate this mother fucking place and be done with it.”

“Okay,“ he deadpans, “I hate this 'mother fucking place'.“

She sputters and starts to laugh and shoves him with her shoulder, because that had actually been hilarious. What the hell?

They make it to the front doors, glancing out of the huge windows to see their school bus and about sixty people all crowding around it. Security is doing their best to round everyone up and get them moving along, so they decide to stand back for a little while longer, to wait for the people to clear.

“Jesus, you're right,” she mutters, grimacing out at the chaos. “The fans have never been this bad before...damn...”

“At least we escaped most of the carnage...”

“Yeah...”

They stand there a little awkwardly, almost like there is something left unsaid between them or there should be something more that should be happening. Like a longing of sorts.

If this actually was a date...there would be a kiss at the end, right? But, this isn't a date...they'd just somehow gotten mixed up together in all this craziness. Just like usual...because Class A had always had a real knack for getting into weird situations.

Even with something so mundane as half a day at the local mall. 

“I guess today wasn't a total write off...” she mumbles, feeling a little shy and glancing away.

He sounds hopeful. “Is that your way of saying you enjoyed our time together?”

She jolts and stands upright, “hell no!”

But Todoroki is just giving her another devastating smile, it's small and soft and barely there but she sees it, in all it's perfectly, unperfect glory.

'...thump thump...thump thump'...

She feels a sudden impulse strike her, and before she can stop herself, she's leaning forward, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, much quicker than his lingering kiss had been back at the photo booth, but enough for him to feel it.

Her face immediately bursts into red at her own actions, but Todoroki is just staring at her with big eyes, his right hand coming up to touch his cheek, like he can't believe that she'd done that.

“What...” and he stutters, a first for him and holy shit! “What was that for?”

“Hmph,” and she's scoffing, crossing her arms over her chest and staring out at the situation outside, noting that security has finally gotten everything under control. “I don't fucking know! For making this shitty day...like, not so shitty or whatever.”

Todoroki says nothing, just continues to stand there in stunned silence. She feels really awkward and uncomfortable right now, so much so that her flight instincts kick in and she's already moving towards the doors.

“Also, if you show ANYONE those unflattering pictures of me, you are so dead...”

She's about to push open the glass doors when she hears “hey wait!” he's holding her hand, grip barely there, not preventing her from leaving, but keeping her in place either way. “Don't worry” he says softly, when she looks over her shoulder. “...even if I showed these pictures to anyone else, which I won't, you look great...you always do...You're beautiful...”

...

...um, um...the fucking hell did he just say?

“Thanks for spending the day with me, Bakugo...”

Her brain has literally combusted at his sweet words.

He's got that warm gaze again, the one that makes her feel many many things. He's watching her like she's special, like she's his whole world or something and it makes her want to run away.

So she does...

“Yeah, that's...that's...whatever, you're welcome, now...let's just ...let's just fucking go...”

She doesn't wait for his reply, already barging out through the doors, head down and feeling flustered. Marching straight for the glaringly yellow school bus.

That had been...that was...that was a lot...

“SO!” she shouts gleefully, as she enters the bus, with a shit eating grin on her face when she sees all her classmates, looking ruffled and staggered and barely alive. “WHAT DID WE ALL LEARN TODAY?!”

Aizawa is giving her a disapproving look, but he's not stopping her.

“Uggghhh...” is the response she gets from most of the students on the bus.

She can't help but laugh her ass off! “I GUESS YOU'LL ALL THINK TWICE NOW ABOUT GOING TO THIS STUPID MALL IN THE FUTURE, HAH? Bahahah! LOSERS!”

All her class does is moan and groan, throwing stuff at her and telling her to shut up and making a bunch of angry, stressed out noises, that she literally just cackles at.

When Todoroki enters the bus, he grabs a seat in the back, with Midoriya and Ochako, to see if they are alright, 'cause he's a gem like that.

But when she looks over her shoulder to sneak a peak at him, she sees that his mismatched gaze is already focused on her, giving her an intense look.

Interesting.

She can't help but give him a leer back and as she pivots back around in her seat, folding her arms and leaning her head against the cold window she guesses ....she could say that ...this day hadn't turned out half as bad as she'd thought it would.

She takes out the stupid photo booth picture and pocky as the bus starts to move, staring down at them from her hidding place curled up alone.

If she's smiling a little bit to herself, in the safety of her seat, all the way back to the campus, than no one needs to know.

When she's back in her dorm room, almost an hour later, she spies the stupid Valentine card on the floor, from where she'd dropped it earlier this morning.

She shakes her head and picks it up, re-reading over the text...

It's not until she reads the line 'You're Beautiful'  on the small pink card, that she stops short because...wait...

WAIT!

'Don't worry...even if I showed these pictures to anyone else, which I won't, you look great...you always do...You're Beautiful...'

...and...

“OH, YOU MOTHER....FUCKING--”

Chapter Text

She spends most of the afternoon after their Mall outing, seething in her room, staring sullenly at the only Valentine that she hadn't yet destroyed.

'You're Beautiful.'

It keeps playing on repeat, taking over all of her thoughts, making her blush and squirm and wonder.

She's pissed off and just trying to come to terms with everything in light of recent events. Trying to piece together this cluster fuck of crap that she's been given and really not making as much headway as she'd like.

She tries to study, to use her time wisely, instead of for sulking, but she just can't concentrate on anything at all. She only ends up childishly shoving all her notes and books off her bed at the height of her annoyance. She gets up and turns off all her lights and body slams hard under her covers, hiding herself away.

She spends most of Saturday night thinking about him.

But also, maybe, a little more than just thinking, because damn... If it really was Todoroki sending her those cards?

Gah.

She just can't stop thinking about those damn lips of his!

She's was horny, okay?! It's basically the only freaking excuse that she has right now for why she's been acting like a blushing virgin these last few weeks. For why she feels so many things, for just being around the Half-n-Half bastard.

How she's come to the glaring realization today that she just really wants to kiss him stupid. Fuck him until he can't bare to take it and keep going until he's sobbing.

Even if those valentines aren't from Todoroki...

She still wants to climb him like a tree. Wants to put him in his place. Lay him out and rock his fucking world and make him moan for her over and over again. Wants to mess him up and see him loose that perfect composure for once.

Wants to see what his 'o' face looks like.

Yeah, she knows! This shit has become a real fucking problem!

But now she's finally got a hint. Just something to grasp onto...and wasn't that just so damn hypocritical? Wasn't that always what she was preaching to shitty Deku, about not taking an idea and running it into the ground? Like he was STILL known to do, because he was STILL a dumb punk?!

But whatever, this isn't about shitty Deku!

She'd picked up on a lead!

But maybe, she'd been getting clues all along and just hadn't realized until now.

The facts were the fucking facts!

Todoroki had been acting weirder than normal these last few months.

Always hanging around, asking after her, wanting to spend time together, partnering up on assignments or quirk training and just generally seeking her out for random shit.

She'd started getting filthy Valentines that were lewd as fuck, but also kind of sweet? Which...fit Todoroki's personality ...kind of. She'd never really thought of him as kinky on the down-low, but what the hell did she know? He was...sweet, she guesses...in his own unique way.

He's asked her twice now about those damn cards and...it always seems to be the days that she gets them too, now that she thinks about it!

Which is just even more fucking suspicious!

The cookies, the treats...

Even the different placements of where she'd found the cards.

Snuggling up to her in the common room or comforting her in the kitchen.

Then...then everything today...and how much...that had been.

Her cheeks burn under her cocoon of blankets and no bullshit.

She can feel his lips on her cheek still, from when they'd been in the booth. His warm voice in her ear whenever they got close. His arms over her, against her, guiding her and holding her.

Touching her.

Fuck, does she ever want Todoroki to touch her.

“Shit!” she pants, moaning and shivering.

She spends most of Saturday night, late into the early morning, fantasizing about him. Teasing herself in the quiet of darkness, spread out naked on her sheets and running battle-worn fingers across her sensitive skin.

'You're beautiful...'

She can't help herself as she imagens them together, running warm hands all over herself, pretending that it's him. Knowing it'd be an interesting experience, his dual temperatures sliding across her skin. Cupping her breasts and kneading them until she feels swollen, buds perky and hard and burning by the time he's fully satisfied with her.

Whimpering softly as she slides two fingers down her slit and outright shuddering when they grind against her swollen nub. Imagining it's his tongue, rough and coarse and curling to suck on her clit.

She's wet and randy and oh so ready, by the time she finally cums.

Soaking the sheets and spurting slickly as she spasms against her fingers. She gets all twisted up in the blankets, panting and achy and wore out. Hair a mess and lips puffy from keeping her moans back. Feeling devastated after all is said an done and then sinking heavily into her bed in the aftermath.

She blanks out and just exists for a little while, stark naked and freezing now that all the fun had been had.

Shouto Todoroki...she muses in her head, turning herself over to stare at the pink Valentine sitting innocently next to her. The only witness to her depraved actions.

He is silly on the inside, poised and elegant on the outside. Sharp as a whistle in the classroom and a nasty sonofabitch on the battlefield.

Throw in that killer bod, long silky locks and his smooth, hypnotic tone of voice that made her shiver and it's no wonder she's been obsessing over him constantly.

...the thought of him taking her though...

She sighs with a small shiver and cleans herself up a little while later, throwing on a tank-top and shorts, before she shuffles back to bed and passes the hell out on her belly, fucking exhausted, ugh...

It's only for a couple of hours though, unfortunately.

Her internal clock wakes her up right when her school alarm would and then she's just stuck, not able to drift back asleep. Staring angrily at her wall for almost twenty minutes, as the sun starts to rise in the sky on this sunny Sunday morning.

It's like she woke up on the wrong side of the bed, because she was already stage four level of crankiness and she hadn't even left her room yet.

She throws all her blankets and pillows off the bed and heads out her door and downstairs towards the kitchen, tired and snippy and not amused in the slightest.

She might as well just get the fuck up and start her shitty day!

That's where she finds card number 4.

...for fuck sake, I'm way too tired for this bullshit!!

It's sitting innocently inside her favorite mug in the dorm kitchen in gaudy, glaring PINK!

She should be more pissed about the placement of the card and how it's literally just out in the open, where any of her moron class might accidentally find it. But, she's always one of the first people awake, because she can't stand being harassed in the kitchen while she tries to feed herself and wake the hell up.

So no one sees the card, either way.

But, still, it's just so damn brazen!

'I want to take you apart, to push you over the edge again and again and again...'

She reads the words a few times, drilling them into her mind.

God, wasn't that what she'd been fantasizing about late last night?

“Todoroki,” she seethes.

I'm going to stab him in his sleep, she vows, her crimson eyes deadly.

She doesn't even have any proof that it's him!

But she's super super suspicious now.

She's going to get to the bottom of this!

Mark her fucking words.

She doesn't burn the card, even though she wants to. She didn't destroy the last one either, for that matter.

As far as she's concerned, those cards are freaking evidence now!

Todoroki ends up going to see his mother that Sunday. She only knows that because he'd told her yesterday while they'd been at the mall. Only remembers because he'd looked so happy. Talking animatedly about how she would be leaving the institution she was in sometime soon. How he and his siblings had been helping to get her set up in their old home, that Endeavour had eventually moved out of after their divorce finalized last year. Gifting her and the children a place to stay without the looming shadow of flames, allowing them a chance to move on.

Todoroki being gone for most of Sunday meant that she didn't have to worry about running into him. She could wail on a punching bag in the dorm gym for a few hours without having to think and when Deku finds her there after lunch and asks for a sparing match, she is only too happy to oblige.

She can't get him outta her head, but at this point, does she really even want to?

“Don't forget that we're out at Ground Beta tomorrow afternoon, so be ready and in full hero attire at the designated time for the training exercise. You're all dismissed.”

Aizawa gestures towards the door, just as the final bell for the school day sounds throughout the U.A building. It's Monday now, the start of a new week and Katsuki gives a large yawn into her hand as she's packing up her things, feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted from the past two days of barely any sleep.

She's running on fumes and for the first time in forever, she thinks she might actually skip her afternoon workout session and take a freaking nap.

They've still got a couple weeks before interning starts up again so she's got a little bit of leeway with her afternoon activities until then.

Her classmates putter around her as she stands up and stretches her arms above her head, trying to work the kinks out of her back, that had sat hunched in a school chair for most of the day.

She doesn't bother trying to rearrange her backpack to fit all her text books. She just grabs the pack and slings it over her shoulder, snagging her books up into her arms, planning to deal with them all later when her brain was not so foggy.

Yeah, a nap sounds real good right about now...

She can miss a day of workouts, right?

She turns to head out of the classroom, noticing that Aizawa and most of her class were already gone. Jeez how long was I zoned out for...?  when she accidentally slams face first into a tall, ridiculously toned chest.

“Ack!” She bites out, her books all dropping heavily to the floor and catching her feet and OW, that shit fucking hurt! “What the fuck?!” she growls, without her usual bite. All she wants is a bed to face-plant into, is that so wrong? “Watch where your fucking going, asshole!”

Whoever just bumped into her is going to get stabbed to death by a number 2 pencil!

“Opps...” and no...no no no...it's fucking Todoroki!

Why is it always him?! He was always, just...right fucking there! It's infuriating!

She doesn't even wanna look at him. He's too much for her right now.

She can smell him for god sake! What the hell is that infuriating cologne he always wears?

“Sorry about that,” he's mumbling and then...he's ...he's getting to his knees...

Uh...what?!

She can't take this shit anymore!

Her heart just shatters into a heap.

“You...” but she's got no words. Her crimson eyes bulging in her face as she watches long bi-colored hair bend down in front of her, to pick up her fallen text books.

Oh god, oh sweet mother of god.

He picks up her books and organizes them, pulling them close to his chest, glancing up at her. She's still staring at him like an idiot, as he casually stands back up. His taller frame practically looming over her as she leans back against her desk, to put a little bit of distance between them before she combusted from overheated flesh.

Really, she's just trying not to fall down to the floor in a puddle of goo.

There is no way that he doesn't know what he's doing! He can't be that fucking oblivious, right!?

She glares at him hard, almost seething, as she takes in his innocent expression, looking for any and all hints that might give her a clue as to what he's thinking or planning.

'You're Beautiful...'

'I want to take you apart...'

'Sit on my face...'

Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK! Fuck it all to hell!

She shoulder checks him, moving past him with a sneer, “watch where your going next time!” She forgets her books, forgets his dumb face and gets her ass as far away from her feelings as she possibly can.

She marches down the U.A hallway, bag slung precariously over her shoulder and kicks open the door to the school, startling a bunch of students who had been standing outside. But she gives no fucks about them, she needs to get the hell back to the dorm so she can lock herself up in her room to never see the light of day again.

Unfortunately, fate just likes to fuck with her.

“Bakugo?!” Todoroki calls out to her, quickly shooting out the door and running down the steps to catch up with her. “Bakugo!” she hears him call again, just as she steps onto the walking path that led to the Alliance building, uniform skirt just 'swish swishing' as she power walks to get away. There are students staring at them both, giving them raised eyebrows and whispering to their groups of friends as Icyhot continues to run after her.

He quickly catches up. “Bakugo, wait!” and she spins around, getting up close in his face and jabbing her pointer finger against his chest. “WHAT? What the hell do you want, Half-n-Half!?”

“I...” he rears back from her furious look. “Your books?” he says hesitantly, gesturing to the texts that he still has secured in his possession.

Right...fuck...

“You've been dead on your feet all day,” he suddenly accuses, tilting his head as he regards her. She ignores the curious looks of bystanders currently watching them and grumbles out a noise and pulls him, motioning for them to keep walking, away from nosey, prying eyes. “Have you been having trouble sleeping or...?”

“No, I'm perfectly fine!” she bristles as they power walk side-by-side.

Oh! Wouldn't you like to know!  because he's not wrong! But, at the same time, it's all his fucking fault that she hasn't been getting enough rest in the first place.

But she can't tell him that!

“You don't seem fine,” he replies, giving her a once over.

“Whatever, who cares?!” she bites back, before glaring at him again, “and give me my books.” She makes a motion to grab them and he moves just out of reach.

“I can carry them for you. I don't mind.”

No! Stop being so freaking nice! I hate you!

“I'm not a fucking invalid,” she snaps, shouting at him, her face bursting into red at his words. She's all riled up now, rearing for a fight. “Do you think I can't carry my own books?!”

“No, I don't think that...”

“Good! Then hand that shit over!”

Todoroki just gives her a shake of his head, “no, I think I'll hold on to them until we get back to the dorm.”

“You what?!” she's about to turn to him and do...something. She has no idea, but in her befuddled state, like a complete and utter train wreck, she just trips over her own feet and staggers on the walking path.

She feels his warm body catch her before she falls and instead of feeling all the butterflies and embarrassment that she would normally feel, this up close and personal, she just feels fucking DONE! Done with all this crap and this stupid day and all that the last few weeks have entailed.

“Hey, are you alright?”

She immediately pushes him away and screams to the high heavens as small scale explosions burst from her palms and light up the space around them.

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

It feels good, to shout and explode and let it all the fuck out with her controlled power. Her flames feel like a sweet release from all her chaotic thoughts and feelings and it actually does wonders to calm her down.

Todoroki, thankfully, just stays quiet as she has her mini public freakout for like two whole minutes.

Small mercy, that.

When they finally do get back to the dorm, she practically rips the door off it's hinges to get inside and then she's storming towards the stairs that will take her to the girls side of the building, where her room was located.

Todoroki, who had merely stayed silent for the remainder of their walk, pipes up again at her retreat.

But she just ignores him.

Sleep first, she growls in her mind. Sleep first, then all this bullshit later.

She makes it to her dorm, throws her backpack on the floor and frantically pulls off her school uniform and bra, not even bothering to put on sleep clothes in her haste. She just belly-flops into bed, moaning at the cold, clean sheets and passes the hell out in her black tank top and boy-shorts for hours.

It's dark outside when she finally wakes back up in the land of the living.

She glances over at the nightstand, her crimson eyes squinting and notices that the time reads 7:30 PM. She feels her head throb in a small headache, a result of sleeping for longer than she probably should and feels a grogginess settle into her bones when she becomes a little more coherent.

Dammit, this is why I don't freaking nap!

Either you didn't sleep enough or you slept for too long and it just made you feel even worse. Not only that, but she'd missed her workout and also dinner, if the noise that her stomach made just then was any indication.

She just moans into her pillow, because she doesn't even want to attempt to get her ass out of bed and go downstairs to make something to eat.

Why did everything have to be a damn nightmare lately?

She just lays there, feeling annoyed and grumpy at her predicament. She's debating with herself about just pigging out on a bunch of protein bars that she's got stashed in her desk and calling it a night, when there is a soft knock on her door.

“Hey Bakugo, are you still sleeping?”

She's not even surprised anymore to hear Todoroki's voice through the door.

She just sighs, because yep...right on time.

There really is no escaping him, is there? Is he really that fucking obnoxious? He does this shit on purpose and she's just supposed to what, take it?!

There is another soft knock as he says, “Momo made us all miso soup tonight and since you missed dinner, I managed to grab you a bowel before it was gone.”

She perks up at those words. Miso soup?

She feels her stomach growl again and she contemplates the pros and cons of opening the door and the effect they will have on her mental state.

Also...Momo was actually a great cook and yum...miso soup sounded really good right about now.

She rolls her exhausted body from her bed, running a hand through her ruffled curly hair and rolls her eyes, because she really couldn't care less about how she looked right now.

Fooooood...

She probably looked like hell, if she's being honest. She sure feels that way.

There is another knock, followed by “Bakugo?” before she's whipping the door open, sagging tiredly against the door frame and crossing her arms.

“Hmph,” she grunts in greeting, words escaping her as her eyes adjust to the bright lights of the hallway.

Todoroki's mismatched eyes widen for a split second when he sees her, and in her drowsy state, she completely misses how his gaze falls down to her chest, her ample breasts hanging free and unbound in her low cut tank top, pushed up with her folded arms.

She hears him make a coughing sound before he holds the promised miso soup out in offering. She catches the smell of fish and greens and her stomach gives another happy lurch. “Have you been asleep all this time?”

“No,” she says, just for the sake of it, even though they both know that's not true. “Food,” she mutters, making a grabby motion with her hands. He hands over the food and she yawns mightily, rubbing at her eye for a second while she inspects the offered sustenance.

She casually heads back into her dorm, keeping the door open, allowing the hallway light to illuminate her darkened room. Again, missing the way that Todoroki's heated expression is eyeing her backside and lack of clothing and general soft appearance in her sleepiness.

She opens the container and gets a good whiff of the soup and then immediately starts to attack it, drinking it straight from the bowel in heady gulps.

“I also brought you these.” He's stepping inside her room and heading towards her desk, placing her forgotten text books next to her closed laptop. He's also got a small package of something, the paper looks a little waxy and when he lays it out on her desk and unwraps it, she blinks when it reveals three little strawberry tarts.

She can't help but tutt under her breath, “did you steal these too?”

“Not this time,” he confesses. She sees him bite his lip, contemplating his next words carefully. “I'm sorry if I upset you earlier, it was not my intention. I wasn't trying to make you feel like an invalid or whatever you said...”

“Tart,” she grunts in answer, holding her hand out in the darkness. Todoroki hands her the treat and she takes a bite, analyzing him critically while she chewed.

She's calm and focused now. All the excitement of the last few days having finally cleared from her mind and she was able to think straight for the first time in a while. She's not sure if it was the nap or the way she'd just shot off her quirk earlier in a temper-tantrum, but she was feeling much less frazzled than she had been lately.

“What?” he questions, after she'd just stared at him blankly.

She slowly smirks at him, still casually munching on the tasty tart while she speaks, “I'm on to you, Icyhot...”

“You're on to me?” he questions, confused. But she's not buying these bullshit oblivious antics anymore. She sees that little interested crease on the left side of his forehead and realizes that he's caught her meaning. “On to what?”

“On to you...” she says ominously, her smug look knowing. “Tart!” she orders, palm up to receive the second one.

His mismatched eyes squint at her, but she can see something in his gaze when he hands her the second tart. She quickly scarfs down the dessert and watches him.

She doesn't imagine the way his eyes trail over her, brazen and unashamed and admiring of her body. He looks her up and down and she gives him a filthy look when their eyes meet again, testing the waters and seeing who will give up this game of chicken first.

“This is the first time I think I've ever seen your room,” he comments, doing a quirk circle and glancing around, to what he can see from the hallway light. She purses her lips at his quick change of conversation, either intentional or typical Todoroki, she can't tell. “It's clean...”

“Did you think that it wouldn't be?”

“Well...”

“I'm not a slob!” she barks. She moves closer to him and snags the last tart, shoving the entire thing in her mouth, her cheeks puffy and fat as she chewed. “Oh sorry, did you want some?” she mocks.

“No, I learned my lesson last time and ate some downstairs during dinner.”

She huffs and rolls her eyes, fucking spoil sport. “You still never told me where you got them? Or why the hell you brought me dinner!? I never asked you to do that. I can get my own dinner, dammit!”

“They are apology tarts.”

“Apology for what?”

"I already said, for earlier.”

She frowns, “bullshit. You love pissing me off. It's one of your favorite hobbies.”

He hums at her, “I guess that's true.” Then Todoroki shocks the absolute hell out of her when he says, “maybe I like pissing you off so much because it's the only realistic way to get your attention.”

She can't help but gape at him, “excuse me?” What the fuck does he mean by that?!

He wants her attention? In what way did he mean?!

“You're usually so grumpy,” he teases, “I find banter easier to navigate when it concerns the dangerous, wild and feral, Bakugo Felis.”

She scowls, baring her teeth, “what the fuck is a Felis? The hell you just call me?!”

“I told you that you needed a cat education,” he says sullenly, looking like a disappointed parent.

“Oh my god!” she growls, throwing her hands up into the air at his silliness. She can't get a fucking read on him at all! If he's really just a sneaky bastard underneath that obliviousness than he deserves a goddamned medal! Fucking A+++ for effort cause she has no sweet clue anymore what his deal is. “Are you comparing me to a damn cat, Todoroki?!”

“To be determined.”

She tenses up and glares. “Shouldn't you be, oh, I dunno, downstairs or something? Isn't your stupid show on soon or did you finally come to your senses...?”

Todoroki just frowns, trying to stay poised, but missing just shy of the mark. “Actually...Midoriya and some of the others...hmm, insisted, on watching an All Might special and I...may have gotten kicked from the common room when I protested to much against it. I might have frozen their feet to the floor,“ he glances away, almost bored looking. “Yeah, I think that was a thing that happened.”

She can't help but laugh obnoxiously.

“I tried to argue my case,” he say, sounding glum, like he's a spoiled brat who hadn't gotten their way. “But I was outvoted by everyone.”

“Serves you right!” she snickers, because he's just standing there, pouting and dejected, pathetically defeated. She's picturing him and Deku arguing back-and-forth and being told to take a hike! Like he doesn't every other day steal the shared T.V to watch his ridiculous shows. “I guess you'll just have to watch it on your laptop!”

“My laptop, unfortunately, is broken. I'm waiting on a new one as we speak.”

She takes a breath to speak, but shuts her mouth and narrows her eyes at him suspiciously.

“I was thinking...” and she watches him side-eye her own computer, sitting innocently on her desk, before meeting her gaze, “that perhaps...I could...maybe...use yours?”

She makes the realization from there, his tone just a tad too sheepish. “You motherfucker!? Those weren't 'apology tarts!' at all, were they!? They were bribe tarts instead! You think you're so smart? Well you're not! I told you, Todoroki, I'm freaking on to you now...”

“Maybe the miso soup was a bribe...” he agrees, lip tilted. “The tarts, on the other hand, were for an apology.” He leans back against her desk to sit on the rim, regarding her in the darkness, all serious and sincere. “I never meant to make you that upset this afternoon.”

“I wasn't fucking upset!”

“You were.”

“I wasn't!”

“Mina said you liked things with strawberry in them...” he blurts out. Derailing their back-and-forth with his random word vomit. “She's the one who gave me the tarts.”

Katsuki narrows her eyes, why did she get the feeling that there was more to the story than simple dessert foods? Todoroki had been bringing her up a lot more lately, like they were suddenly best friends or something.

Mad mad mad suspicious!

She'd bet her entire hero career that somehow, some way, Mina was meddling where she didn't belong!

“Why the hell are you and Mina even talking to each other lately?!”

“She has some good advice,” he says simply, still leaning against her desk, arms folded.

Her eyes catch his bare shoulders, hard and toned after years of work. He's only got on dark grey sweatpants and a white muscle shirt. His abs and pecs are firm against the fabric of his tank top. The light from her still open dorm door casts over him in a warm glow, shadowing his lighter hair and leaving only red.

“No she doesn't!” she finally replies, after her train of thought takes a nose-dive into lewd territory.

“She's very astute about certain matters...”

“What does that even mean?”

“Nothing,” he claims, shrugging, “so...how about that laptop?”

She picks up on his subtle shift in conversation again, like he's trying to steer her clear of something.

Now that she's caught on to it though, she can't believe she never realized it sooner. He plays a good façade, she'll give him that. But she's gotten wise to his wily ways.

“Bakugo?” he says, when she takes too long to answer him.

She shakes her head and straightens up, slinking tiredly towards her computer and all up in his personal space from where he is sitting on the ledge of her desk. They are at eye level here and she takes full advantage of that fact and rests one of her hands on the tabletop. She tilts her body towards him, allowing him a real nice view of her boobs and all they've got to offer him. She pretends to scoff and scoops up her laptop, holding it in her free hand not supporting her weight.

She gives him a heated look, watching him for clues at her brazen attempt to trip him up. “The only reason I'm letting you borrow this is because it's easier than listening to you whine about it for the rest of the week!”

“I don't whine,” he says, as she busied herself with getting the charging cable.

“Bullshit you don't,” she argues back. She watches him from her peripheral, as his gaze traces over her again and she feels her nipples harden tight. It makes her breath in deep when she feels the weight of his stare wash over her. Makes her want to lean down and kiss the life out of him and ride him until neither of them can walk straight.

She flushes and backs away, shoving the laptop and cable into Todoroki's arms. She masks her reaction by turning around, slumping back into her bed and making herself comfortable under the covers on her belly. “Don't break my shit either! You can borrow it for the night, but I want it back first thing in the morning, Icyhot!”

“Uh...”

She peers at him with one eye, “what?”

“It's more fun to watch it with someone else,” he claims, looking way too fucking innocent, and HA! I see you motherfucker. I see your sneaky ways. He's planned all this! Bribing her and acting all coy and aloof.

Is his laptop even broken? She'd bet money that he's a damn liar!

She opens her mouth to shout at him to get lost, but he comes forward, setting the computer on the empty part of her bed. “Just one episode?” he looks hopeful and she just sighs in exasperation and curses angry sounds into her pillow.

She wants to rage, but she's just kind of given up. Todoroki is Todoroki is Todoroki. He's going to do what he wants and unless she actually, seriously, tells him to mess off, he's just going to keep pushing those boundaries.

She kind of wants him to push them.

Just a little bit.

“It's always just fucking 'one' with you,” she grumbles. “You can't always get your stupid way!”

“But it is just one--”

“That's what you always say! It always ends up being three or four more. You're such a prat!”

He frowns down at her, “I just like being in your company. We can watch something else if you'd prefer.”

“Ugh,” she mumbles, stuffing her bleeding red face into her pillow again. Sometimes his words punched her in the gut, fucking sneak attack. Sweet and honest and blunt, like he'd said exactly what was coming to mind, no filter necessary.

She gives his blank stare the evil eye, twisting her lips and glaring up at him. “Whatever.”

She pretends she doesn't see the small, crooked smile that he gives her, rubbing her face back-and-forth against her pillow as she tries to focus. She grumbles out, “hurry up and turn that shit on before I change my mind. I ain't got all night, it's already almost eight o'clock...” she goes limp in her bed as Todoroki gingerly sits down next to her and starts to set up the computer between them. “ONE EPISODE!” she reiterates, voice hoarse and rough. “Also, if you put on the polar bear episode, I will literally throw you off the balcony.”

She hears him chuckle and she pulls her head from her pillow, so she can get a better view of him for glaring. “If you think I'm joking...”

But he's just shaking his head, booting up the laptop and making himself cosy against the headboard of her bed and snuggling up close and...wait...

Uhhh...? She hadn't exactly thought this entire situation through, had she?

He looks completely relaxed and happy being in her space. Like he fucking belonged there or something. Sitting with his back against the headboard, laptop nestled between them as he typed in the website to stream all things Animal Planet.

“Any requests?” His tone is soft and the darkened atmosphere and close proximity gave everything a more intimate feel. They've got the side table lamp on now, her door finally closed, but this feels...more...something. She can't put her finger on it. Like they've got this secret bubble that no one knows about, something for just the two of them. She feels his heat even more and rubs her nose against her pillow again to stave off her reaction.

God, she can't even look at him right now.

All he's doing is sitting on her bed. He's not even under the covers like she is. But just sitting there, doing nothing at all interesting...just like usual!

But she's so fucking hyper aware of him now. Tuned in and sensitive to his voice and his presence.

It was only two days ago now that she'd laid on this very bed and cum so hard her legs had barely functioned afterwards. Fantasized about the words on those Valentine cards and how much she wanted to have him.

...and now here he was! Sitting on her bed, looking delicious, with only inches between them. How the fuck was she supposed to stay composed? This was literal HELL!

Why the heck did she think this was a good idea again!?

“Bakugo..?” he grabs her attention, his head motioning towards the screen when she glances at him, trying to hide her ruddy cheeks. He asks again, “any requests?”

“I don't freaking know.”

“Oh, how about an episode about cats in the wild...?”

“Don't even fucking start with the cats bullshit again, Todoroki!” she warns.

He doesn't even pay her angry words any mind, typing in the episode that he wishes to watch. “These are literal wildcats Bakugo, or their scientific name, Felis Silvestris.” He's tilting his lip, smug and knowing. Grinning when she's caught on to what the name that he'd called her earlier meant. “They are pretty domesticated now and not endangered,” he claims.

“I don't need the commentary, Icyhot!” she grumbles. “Did you seriously name me after some stupid cats?!”

“My favorite has to be the Scottish wildcat though,” he continues, completely ignoring her. She blows out a raspberry and rolls her eyes, way too tired to even attempt to kick his ass at this point. He lets the video buffer, turning to her and grinning. “They are the biggest of the Felis species, known for their wild and rambunctious behavior. They are a solitary, independent super-predator and like to roam alone instead of in groups.”

“Yeah, and so what?”

Todoroki hums, “they have always reminded me of someone...but, I can't quite put my finger on who...” He's chuckling at her annoyed reaction, glancing down at her from where she's sprawled under the covers on her stomach, arms resting under her pillow while she watched him. He then reaches over and pushes his pointer finger against her forehead. “Oh, now I remember who...”

“Tch, think you're real funny, don'tcha? Better be careful, your nerd personality is showing!”

“Ah, so I've been upgraded from dork to nerd now?” he muses. He's then mimicking that asshole narrator guy from his show. “Slowly, with some time and perseverance, you too might start gaining the trust, of the untamed Katsuki Bakugo Felis.”

“Just watch your show!” she roars.

“Aren't you going to watch too?”

She mutters curses into her pillow, where she absolutely refuses to remove herself from, now that she's gotten comfortable. “I'm listening instead...” she says, as a compromise.

He must accept this, because he settles back down and she hears the intro blast from the speakers.

She's dozing a little bit later, not really paying attention to what was being said through the laptop speakers as the show drones on and on and on.

She's so warm and sleepy right now. Both of them are close, her single bed in the dorms not all that spacious, considering Todoroki was a tall guy with broad shoulders. She could feel his body heat, even as he sat over the covers.

She hears the sheets rustle and she opens one of her eyes, glancing at him as he rubs at the back of his neck, trying to hide a grimace as he worked out the kinks of soreness.

Dumb narrator guy continues to drone on about wildcats and how they breed and reproduce.

No one fucking cares!

“Shitty classroom chairs,” she mutters, catching his attention. They lock eyes and she rolls over proper, laying on her side now, facing him. “Your neck hurt?”

“Yeah,” he admits.

“Just lay down then,” she offers, motioning to the length of the bed and how he's been sitting stiffly against her headboard. He shifts on her comforter and inclines his body towards her as he slides down the bed, head now resting against her second pillow. He's got his arms crossed and her eyes roam over his toned shoulders again, his sharp clavicle and veined jawline catching her attention.

She eyes the bare spots of skin visible to her, wanting to wrap her arms around his neck and pull them flush together.

Wants to run her lips along his adams apple and take a big bite!

Soothe and suckle at it and leave a nasty purple bruise for all the world to see.

She fantasizes about what she'd then do to his mouth, after leaving a mark on his neck. Probably suck on his tongue and nip at his lips, get them all wet and swollen and gasping.

Fuck! She really wants to plant one on him.

She's not paying attention, zoned out on those toned pecs, but she catches the tail end of his words. “...spending the entire day doing classwork isn't as much fun as when we're out in the field or doing quirk training” he continues, frowning. “I don't enjoy sitting in a classroom for most of the day.”

“Hell ya! My ass goes numb all the fucking time from those damn chairs.”

“I think they purposely pick the worst types, just to keep us suffering...”

She groans, “I hate written work. It's boring. I can't wait to get the heck outta school and start actually making a difference out in the real world.”

Todoroki shakes his head. “You know that once we go Pro that we will have something else much more sinister to worry about, right?” His tone then changes to ominous “...and...it's not villains that I'm talking about. Something even the League used to fear...and All Might was scared of it too. Even...my Father.”

She gives him a look, “the hell you talkin' about?”

“Paperwork...” he deadpans, very serious and sullen. “Every Heroes worst nightmare...”

She can't help but snort, mocking him, “yeah, sounds real scary!” rolling her eyes at him fondly.

He's such a dork!

“It's true,” he nods, “I've seen what it does to people. It is the only true unbeatable evil in this world. None can stand against it.”

“Oh my god,” she laughs.

“Only the strongest will survive...”

“Tch! Then I guess I'll be just fine, since I'm going to be the strongest there is! Your old man better watch out, 'cause I'm still coming for the Number One spot some day! Even if there are no more rankings now.”

She watches Todoroki's eyes light up. "Fine, but you'll have to fight me for it.”

She can't help but belt out an obnoxious laugh, “yeah, you and every other sorry sod in this dumb place who thinks they actually have a chance at getting to the top before me! Ain't gonna happen.”

“We'll have to see about that one...” he challenges, fire burning bright in his gaze.

Give my your fire Icyhot, give me your fire!

She sticks her tongue out, but doesn't even deem that with a reply. She's going to be at the top some day. Despite Todoroki and his claims or Deku with his stupid fucking pipe dreams and nerfed One for All power. She will rise above them all! She'll fight until she was black and blue, crawl her way there if she had to! Nothing in this world is going to stop her!

She feels him nudging her and she snaps back to attention. “Speaking of graduation...” he says, breath ghosting lightly across her face. Fuck. She hadn't realize how close they'd gotten.

The only thing separating them is the width of her laptop sitting in-between them. He on one pillow, her on the other. Facing each other and only a few inches apart. Documentary playing at a soft, low volume, almost background noise in lue of their conversation. “Have you figured out yet where you'll go once we're done this year?”

She glances at him lazily, tracing the shape of his scar on his left side with her eyes. Crimson trailing down to glance at those lips again, nodding her head on autopilot. “I have some ideas...”

“It's not like you don't have plenty of prospects,” he muses.

She catches his eye, pursing her lips, not sure if she wants to say what she's thinking, but knowing that this was as good a time as any to bring it up to him.

It's been something she'd been debating even telling him. Figuring that it wouldn't matter or that it was none of his business anyway...but considering all that has happened this year already between them...she feels like she should at least tell him.

“So...I got an offer from Endeavour...” and yeah, she kinda just blurts that shit out.

But Todoroki, true-to-form, doesn't even blink. “Yeah, I know about that.”

She opens her mouth to start explaining, but her eyebrows decide to shoot into her hairline, “you do?”

“Sometime around the middle of last year, right?”

“I...yeah, it was after the second year Sports Festival actually...which was weird...because I didn't even win that year!”

“You guys almost got us though...” he smirks, winking at her.

“Tch! I don't even want to hear it!”

Their second Sports Festival had been kind of wild.

Instead of finishing the event with their typical 1 vs 1 bracket fights, they'd all been paired up. She and Deku had made it to the finals, but so had Todoroki and Tokoyami. In a showdown of epic proportions, that had basically shocked an entire nation, Deku and Bakugo, paired together, had taken a loss that year after fighting bloody tooth and nail for first place.

That fight had been almost two hours long, all participants refusing to give up on either side. It had been right around the time that she and Deku had really hit their stride on working together, utilizing each others quirks and playing off of each others battle techniques. Finally working as a team.

All Might had literally been over the moon about it.

But, no one had anticipated the wild card that had been Tokoyami and his impressive new grasp of his quirk. Or how much he'd wanted to prove himself.

They hadn't exactly written him off, but they hadn't been expecting him to be as ruthless as he had been. The dark man had been interning with a secret Pro Hero for a few months by then, training his Dark Shadow against the Hero's Light quirk. His training had allowed him to almost completely remove his Shadow's weakness to light and fire. He'd gotten so strong that he'd given the pair a run for their money. Plus, being partnered up with Todoroki and his raw talent, had led to a grueling, yet satisfying match up, that had ultimately awarded Bakugo and Deku second place.

Todoroki hums, nodding his head. “My Father might have mentioned a few times that you had yet to even contact him in regards to that offer...” his mouth is tilted in amusement. “I think he's still a little salty about it, actually...”

She can't help but snort, “is that why he made another offer a couple of weeks ago..?”

He had, strangely enough, and he'd even sent her an official letter of employment, benefits and potential starting pay and all the bells and whistles. An entire contract that she'd already read over many many times. As far as she knew, none of her other classmates have gotten official offers. Only considerations and what ifs and trial runs.

She hasn't told anyone about Endeavour's offer. Only she and Aizawa knew about it, as he'd been the one to approach her to let her know that it was even on the table.

Plus, she'd been a little flattered and kind of shocked. The flame-hero was not someone who was impressed easily. The fact that he'd asked for her not once, but twice now, had really given her ego a nice boost of confidence.

There were lots of reasons that she wanted to work for him right out of the gate.

The main reason being: he was the current #1. No matter that the ranking system had been abolished. In her eyes, and in the eyes of most of the country, Endeavour was still their Number One.

“Did he?” and now Todoroki is very pleased, smirking at her. She catches the way his eyes crinkle when he does that, how his face gets softer. “If you've decided to take the offer, you should wait until the very last minute to accept. Make him sweat a little bit. He's more fun to be around when he's trying to keep his cool.”

She arches an eyebrow at him, “you act like he couldn't just find someone else if he wanted to?”

Todoroki hums. “As far as I know, you are the only person he's put a bid in for the entire time we've been here.”

What...? That can't be right.

"Not even Deku?"

"Well...it's no secret that Midoriya will be heading off to America for a few years with All Might, once we graduate...so I think maybe that is why he never offered..." Todoroki then glances in her direction. "However, I've only ever heard him express an interest in you, so..."

She honestly just can't believe it. “You're fucking with me...”

Todoroki blinks at her, tilting his head, “no...it's the truth. You've been the only one on his list for a while now.”

Fuck, her pride is literally jumping for joy! “...and that's cool with you...if I was considering it?”

He arches a brow, “of course, why wouldn't it be? My Father doesn't make decisions like that lightly. I think you'd be a breath of fresh air at that place. His Agency was always so stale and depressing. Though, Hawks has done a great job in creating a better atmosphere overall now that he's partnered with him. But, I haven't really worked with both of them yet since the merger to see for myself.”

That's ...something...

“Hmm” she hums, contemplating. IT'S NOT LIKE SHE NEEDS HIS PERMISSION! No, she can do what she wants...but...he seems pretty chill about it, all the same.

Which is weird. He's not usually this chill about things concerning his Father.

She feels him poke her in the forehead again as she zones out and she bristles and slaps his hand away. “Paws off!” He laughs at her and tries to do it again and she ends up reaching over and pinching him hard in his side to get him to back off.

She huffs and slams back against her pillow, snuggling further under the covers and glaring at him over the rim of her blanket, giving him a sharp eye. “Try that shit again and I'll bite your fingers off!”

He looks smug, but then he's moving closer, leaning into her space and resting his head against his raised fist. “Do you not realize that I've already signed on with him?”

“You have?!”

“Was that not apparent?”

“Um...NO!”

“Oh, well...I thought that it was pretty obvious.”

No! It hadn't been obvious! Yeah, Todoroki had interned there every year since he'd started at U.A. But, from what she knew, Icyhot took every opportunity to piss him off and do the exact opposite of what was expected of him. She'd thought that when all was said and done, he would run as far away from him as he could get.

But then she also remembers Todoroki telling her at the mall that he'd had to learn to play a different kind of game with his Father, because there really wasn't any escaping him. That he no longer hated the man and their relationship was much different now.

She's not sure if that is smart or just really depressing. Half-n-Half seems perfectly fine with the arrangement though...and also...apparently A-OKAY with her also, maybe...coming to work there as well.

It was an offer of a lifetime. She would be crazy not to take an opportunity like that. Endeavour had done a lot these last few years after All Might's retirement. He'd really proven himself to the world as they knew it. Giving everything that he had to keep the world safe when the War had tried to tear them all apart. He was still out there fighting. Even though he'd lost his right arm to AFO, he'd still come back swinging. Never giving up. Stubborn to a bloody fault. Probably the most stubborn man to ever exist. That ever would.

He wasn't a Symbol of Peace, that was for sure. But, that era was over now. There was no more time for symbols and smiles. Endeavour was a man of action. A leader. Every move that he made was calculated for maximum impact. He wasn't a nice guy. But, wasn't the old saying that nice guys finished last anyways?

He might be the biggest jackass that ever existed, but he was still the best hero they had going.

The fact that Todoroki was actively encouraging her to join Endeavour, join THEM, she realizes suddenly...and it hits her then that if she accepts a position with the flame hero, she will also be working side-by-side with Icyhot every day.

He wants me to join them...

It just makes more pieces fall into place of her Todoroki shaped puzzle.

She studies him, memorized by the blended colors of his long hair and eyes. How they are all so different, unique in their own ways, but come together to create a perfect blend.

“I haven't decided anything for sure...” she mutters, glancing away.

He wants them to work together after they graduate...

She can't even pretend anymore that there isn't something there between them. But, Todoroki had obviously been playing his cards close to his chest for a while now.

“Well, you've still got time...” he reassures her. “But if you were holding back because you thought I wouldn't approve, then you don't need to worry about that.”

She frowns over at him, “you're really just going to work for him...?”

“With him. I will be working with him. He's a good Hero, I've already spent most of my time at U.A interning with him...so, it just seems like the logical step.”

She can't help but gawk at him, “wow...if you'd told Year One Todoroki that you thought his father was a 'good hero' you'd probably of gotten an icicle through the gut.”

He chuckles back at her, still so close, and she can feel his breath against her face. “A lot has changed in a few years. My Father has proven himself.”

“Yeah, except he's still a ridged asshole...”

“True. But, he made me a promise that he'd be a Hero I could look up to and...I fully intend to make him keep that promise.”

“Ha! You just want to work for him so that you can be a passive aggressive asshole and drive him crazy all the time...”

“Heh, that too...”

“My god, you're something else...”

“I've got to keep him on his toes somehow...” he grins. “I want him to always remember that I've got my eye on him.”

“Fuck...” she snickers, “he's gonna have his hands full if we both end up working there...gah, I actually kind of want to see it! He'll have grey hairs before he's even fifty.”

The more she thinks about it, the more she wants it. Her and Todoroki...working at the same place as each other, having each others backs and fighting the good fight...

But also, just her and him...together.

Fuck! Throwing words around like 'together' was dangerous. But, also just as exciting too.

Her and Todoroki...

Todoroki and I.

Fuck, does she ever want that.

I want you...she groans to herself, crimson eyes hooded.

She wants to have a taste, to sit up and lean over and capture those subtle lips that entice her to no end. Wants to know what he tastes like and how he'd react to her. Take a fucking gamble and jump headfirst and not regret the consequences because that's how Bakugo Katsuki just was!

She always just rushes in, but why does she hesitate so now?

She'd jumped with Kirishima. But then, she'd known 100% that he'd been interested in her. There had been no fears, of rejection or humiliation or hurt. Just fun and hot and wanting to get down and dirty with each other.

This was the opposite of that, though. Todoroki was different. He'd always been different to her, even back before she'd started thinking about him in this way. He'd always been on her radar. Always capturing her attention and kept her coming back for more.

“Hey?” he whispers, reaching out, when she's gone quiet for quite some time. She feels his fingers trace the side of her face, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, like he'd done in that blasted photo booth.

“Hmm?” her eyes slide shut of their own accord and in her tired, drowsy state, she just allows her breath to hitch at his touch, into the quiet space surrounding them. The darkened atmosphere leading to a more daring, carefree attitude. Like the darkness hid them, masked them of all of their deepest desires.

“What are you thinking about?” he whispers, his tone low and quiet and she slides one of her eyes open. She shrugs her shoulders, but she knows she's leering lazily at him as he continued to trace the side of her face.

She feels in a trance, his gentle touch making her mind go numb and her heart rate increase in strength.

She feels those fingers slide behind her neck, goosebumps flushing all over and tightening in pleasure when they then tangle into her hair. She makes a soft noise as his strong hand runs through her locks, massaging and teasing her scalp. 

She feels drunk off his touch, "...'roki?" she slurs, watching him through heavy, hooded eyes. He hums at the sound of his name, but says nothing more. His touch is so gentle, soft and soothing. It is turning her to mush right there. She can't help the way her gaze keeps catching on his lips, wanting to be brave...to lean up and capture them between her teeth. He's so damn close right now...it would take merely inches and they'd be kissing.  

The tension between them right now is charged. Like at any moment, it could snap. 

God, just fucking kiss me already!

She leans in even closer, waiting with baited breath, when suddenly her shoulder hits the laptop sitting innocently between them, and it jostles them out of their heated encounter when it flops around.

No! We were so close and everything!

Fucking bullshit!

It pisses her off so much, that she sneers, "get this fucking thing off the bed! You aren't even watching it anymore!"

But Todoroki seemed to be three steps ahead of her, already hastily closing the computer and placing it carefully onto the floor, leaning over the side of the bed. 

Katsuki sits up, resting on an elbow, already ranting, "fucking bullshit laptop! I should smash the damn thing against a wall, stupid thing, pissin' me the hell off and...mmph!"

Bakugo hisses out a sudden breath when Todoroki turns back towards her, a crazed look in his eyes, and bulldozes into her and captures her lips with his own.

Just like that...

Her eyes burst wide. Shocked as hell!

She makes this stupid fucking 'eep' sound, but everything had kind of imploded inside of her the moment their lips connected and she's left to play catch up.

He plunders her mouth, coaxing and engaging her and making her shiver. Possessing her mouth so well that she can do nothing but kiss him back.

For a solid minute, it's nothing but heated, sloppy kisses. Wet and wild and charged with a chaotic energy. Neither of them know what to do. There is no rhythm, only instinct. Carnal and dangerous and destructive. 

Bakugo feels overwhelmed with the pace, so she roughly pushes Todoroki away, gripping his white tank-top like a life preserver as she stared at him with wide crimson eyes. 

They both pant against one another, gazes locked. The atmosphere is intense, like electricity is running rampant in-between them, ready to light them up at a moments notice. Katsuki sucks in breathes one after the other, her heart beating erratically in her chest.

"Holy fuck," she gasps, trying to catch her breath. Todoroki's gaze goes dark, his pupils blown and his hands twitching, as if he is having trouble keeping them to himself. 

It's so fucking hot. He's so damn sexy it's ridiculous.

They stare at one another, both of their bodies wired, coiled and ready to snap. 

"Bakugo," he whines, voice husky, "please, can I--?"

She hisses again, "yes! Fucking Christ!"

This time, he pushes her back onto the bed, hovering over her as they kiss. He's so fucking smooth about it, she wants to be angry! Wants to smack him or push him off, but she just clings to his shoulders, pulling him closer and against her through the thin material of her comforter. The kiss is deeper this time, slow and sensual, but no less passionate. They've both taken to breathing deeply through their noses and the intensity of his mouth makes her moan. 

He groans at her sound and pushes even closer against her. His rough hands running all over her shoulders and up the sides of her neck , back-and-forth across her sensitive skin. They settle into her hair, tilting her head back and she mewls when he starts to thrust his tongue against her own. The kiss gets messy again, wet and sloppy as Todoroki fucks his tongue in and out, making her shiver and squirm. Thinking of something else fucking her so aggressively.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

He's trying to consume her.

She wraps her arms around his neck and scrapes her longer fingernails against his scalp. When she hears him gasp, she roughly pulls at his long hair. Getting a good grip of the strands and once again jerks his mouth off of hers, making his neck arch back attractively as a soft groan escapes his mouth.

Fuck! Goddamned Todoroki!

She wants to mess him up. Wants to punch the living daylights out of him. Wants to blast him to the moon! All in the same breath. She wants to smack him! Kiss him! Fuck him up so good, he won't see straight. Suck his cock and make him cry. Leave him high and dry...begging her to relieve him, begging her for more.

She feels frenzied! Out of control as lust spirals heavily inside of her. 

That's what he did to her.

They pant against one another once more, mouths mere inches apart. Locking hooded gazes and breathing in each others breath. Suddenly wanting the upper hand, she jerks up, moving the blankets and maneuvers him onto his back, climbing on to straddle over his waist in less than 5 seconds flat.

He looks stunned when she situates herself, spread over him and pinning him to her bed, like a fly caught in a spiders web. Spun up tight before you even knew it. She leans down, and her ample breasts have no choice but to follow gravity and tumble partially out of her loose tank top.

She grabs his hair again, pulling his neck back and exposing his jawline to her hungry crimson eyes. She leans her head down, running soft lips across thick veins and towards his ear. Arching her back and sliding herself against the hard-on that she feels pushing roughly against her ass.

He gasps wetly beneath her when she grinds against him.

“You're the one sending me those fucking cards, aren'tcha,” she hisses into his ear, turning his face away from her and mushing his right side into her bed. She wants to get a good look at those delicious neck veins.

She hears him snort and it pisses her the fuck OFF! “You must think I'm a fucking idiot or something,” she rasps against his skin, like sandpaper. She is on edge and trembling. “Like I wouldn't figure that shit out!”

He makes a huff, but it's strained, as he glances at her from under the cover of his sweaty bangs, his eyes half-lidded, watching her with a glint in his eye. “I was beginning to worry...there are only so many hints I could give, before resigning myself to you never getting a clue.”

“Tch!”

“Always be weary of the wild and feral, Bakugo Felis...”

“Shut the fuck up, you bastard! I'm not a fucking CAT!”

“Why don't you come and make me?” he spits out in challenge and it's like waving a red flag in front of her face. She's already so damn riled and him egging her on like that is only making it worse.

She attacks him.

Slides her body fully flush on top of him, sprawling over him and caging him in. Crimson eyes heated with intent as she eyed him up and down, making sure that she's got all of his undivided attention. She smirks at him, as he's watching her from the side, his face still pushed into her pillow. “I would fucking rock you, Icyhot...” she promises in a deep drawl, his jaw slackening at her words. “But you don't get to have all the goodies in one night. You gotta earn that shit!”

He's muttering and squirming beneath her, rough hands drawing up the backs of her bare thighs and forcing her back down against him. She feels the breath get punched from her lungs when their clothed bodies met down there. His hard bulge thrusting happily between her dampness.

She's grinding down against him again, moving herself at a snails pace, but making the slide hard, full of friction and intent. He's only wearing a thin pair of sweats and she's basically in her underwear, tight black boy-shorts leaving nothing to the imagination and making this entire thing feel like just so much more.

It makes the descent against him so good, the fabric of her panties rubbing perfectly against her clit as she continues to grind on top of him. He's holding desperately onto her bare ass-cheeks, squeezing them and kneading them and pulling her back-and-forth. His desperation evident by the way he trembled and twitched against her, small noises of pleasure husking from his lungs and travelling straight down to her core.

God, she's never been this wet so fast before.

She wants to fucking devour him!

One of her hands are placed on his knee, using him for leverage as she arched back against him. Ass catching at his hidden tip while she slips her right hand up along her ribcage, pulling the loose black tank top she has on up past her waist and exposing one of her large breasts, just for a second.

Just a little peak.

She hears his breath hitch, his hungry eyes on her hard brown nipple slipping into his view, before she covers it with her own hand.

She's kneading it enticingly, pinching and pulling and teasing herself as he watched her fondle her covered tit, rolling her neck back and arching against him and grinding, grinding, grinding.

“Ahh fuck,” she whispers, her eyes closing for a minute in pleasure as she starts to get completely overwhelmed. Her mouth drops open and she has to take a second to breath and get her bearings and not just rut against him senselessly like some animal.

He shudders out a breath and quickly leans up against her, hands rolling up her sides from her ass, heading straight towards her chest. But she smacks them away, leering down at his ruddy face when he narrows his eyes at being denied.

“You don't get to touch those this time, Icyhot,” she smirks. Feeling sexy and horny and just wanting to get one over on him. “Ha ha ha, better yet, don't you dare fucking touch me again...you only get to have me like this! Paybacks a bitch, ain't it?”

“Bakugo...” he groans, and it's so guttural and obscene and it makes her fucking throb. She pushes him back towards the bed, gaining more leverage to dominate him and sticks her tongue in his mouth. She's grinding herself to the motion of their tongues, the vibration of his soft moans and their panting mouths and oh god...oh god...she's gonna cum soon if they keep up this pace.

She has to calm down, so she does, getting lost in their kissing, slowing down the pace of her rapid rutting and focusing on keeping their mouths together.

She kisses him deep and slow. A steady push and pull between them. She gets so into it, into him, that she almost forgets she's supposed to be punishing him. She can hear his hands grasping at the sheets, doing as he's told and not disobeying her. She grunts at the thought, feeling powerful, biting at his lip before releasing him, to sit back up so she can continue to tease him.

She smirks down at him, her mouth panting, red and sore from their make-out session, hair tousled and crimson eyes hooded.

Todoroki looks worse, mouth twisting into pleasurable agony, almost glaring at her as she barely moved against his hard dick. His hair was sweaty and messy and red bled into white while plastered over his forehead, body tense with the intent to buck against her, arms trembling with power, denied the ability to touch her.

“Is this what you thought of when you wrote those filthy fucking cards, Todoroki?” she rasps, her voice smokey and lustful and delighted as she took her pleasure, stringing him along, like he'd done to her. Enjoying every fucking second of his tortured, scrunched up face. “Want me to sit on your face and grind myself?! Just...like...this?! HUH?!”

Yes! Yes she wanted that so bad!

“Ooooh...” he outright moans into the darkened room, it's loud and anyone within earshot of her dorm could overhear. "Fuck Bakugo!" he pants, head arched back, "fuck, fuck!"

Gah! Holy shit! He's feels so good. She's steadily loosing her inhibitions, rocking against him and closing her eyes and...

...and...and...there is no more time for banter. No more time for games or egos or fumbling.

Just the steady climb higher and higher. She ruts against him mercilessly, both of them chasing their end and pumping frantically against one another. Todoroki's arms eventually come up and wrap hard around her back, pulling her flush against him while he attacked her mouth. There were no more rules. No more talking. Just heat and lust and yes yes yes as they paved the way to oblivion.

She whines against his mouth, finally letting her walls down and shudders against him, releasing a deep, satisfied moan against his lips as she crested and poured over the edge. Hips on autopilot, pelvis jerking hard against him a couple of times as waves and waves of release washed over her.

“Bakugo...” he groans low, holding her in a vice-grip as his hips rabbited, before tensing and arching, coming down and shuddering hard against her as he released inside his sweats.

Fucking hell. Fucking goddamned hell. His 'o' face was something else. She lived for the damn thing now! God he just looked so wrecked beneath her!

She'd done that.

She did!

They really just freaking did that.

Holy Christ.

She's kind of in shock.

Todoroki grunts as she sprawls over him, all her remaining energy zapped from her in a single second, leaving her to free fall on top of him and smother him in the process.

It's quiet and calm and eventually silent as they catch their breaths a little later, floating about in sated never-never land.

She doesn't know when she starts to doze off, but she does. One minute she's there and the next, she's drooping forward.

She vaguely recalls sagging into Todoroki's chest and how he'd smoothly curled his arms around her, maneuvering them face-to-face and pulling her flush against him.

She remembers the feeling of his finger brushing softly through her hair, laying her cheek against his chest as he pulled them together under the blanket. Easy and soft and damn, she liked the feeling of being in his arms.

“...Todoroki..?” she mumbles, not even really sure what she's saying.

“Is this okay?” he whispers into her hair, still running those warm fingers back-and-forth, lulling her into a barely conscious state.

Was this okay? After everything she'd just done to him, he's asking if this is okay?

“Don't be stupid,” she mutters, no other words forthcoming after that. Especially when after her confirmation, his other hand comes up to run across her back, caressing her skin under her small tank top. He must be regulating his temperature, shit...maybe he had been the entire time, because his right hand is normally cold to the touch and his skin usually felt half-n-half.

But his warmth is nothing but wonderful on the heat of her skin and she melts into a puddle of goo at his touch and buries her face up against his neck.

He's just so comfortable right now, she can't even will herself to move.

She passes out after that, plastered to Todoroki's front and into blissful, peaceful slumber against his dual temperatures.

She's not awake enough to feel his lips press deep against the side of her head or the way he mumbles “sweet dreams, Bakugo” into her hair as he also drifts away to dreamland.

But she feels the emotions behind it, lets it calm and relax her and she gets a restful night of sleep, tucked up nice and secure in his sweet embrace.

He's not there when she wakes up, as her school alarm blares to life around 5AM.

But that is almost more of a relief than anything.

She's not sure how she would have reacted had he still been there, all of this just so new and fresh to her and she can't trust her emotions enough to work properly. In her flustered state she might have ended up accidentally blasting him through the roof in her shock.

But maybe he'd known that?

Knew to not push it all straight away. Give her time to process.

Besides, she thinks smugly. I made him cum in his pants and he probably needed to clean that shit up since we accidentally fell asleep.

She rolls over, feeling more rested than she's felt in a while, and spots soft pink, sitting delicately on her second pillow.

Her eyes scrunch up, first confusion and then outrage, because why the hell was he still giving these dumb things to her?!

'Show me your Fire...'

She looses her shit and jolts from her bed, grabbing her cell phone and scrolling to find Todoroki's phone number. She calls him four times but they all go straight to voice-mail.

BASTARD!

She texts him, thumbs smashing down on her phones keyboard.

Bakugo to Todoroki: you think you're so fucking funny, hah? Well I've got news for you! You have no idea what's coming for you Icyhot! Just you wait!

He replies back almost an hour later, while she's halfway through eating an angry breakfast and cursing his name to the heavens.

Todoroki to Bakugo: I think I'm looking forward to it ;)

Chapter Text

Tired mismatched eyes glance lazily at the side table clock, reading 1:45AM in glaring, bright red.

Bakugo's been asleep for a while now.

Shouto can't help but run his fingers endlessly through her ash-blonde hair. Keeping her close to his chest as they laid together on her bed. Her even breaths puffing warm across his collarbone, as one of her hands clutched at his tank-top. Her peaceful, shapely face, more relaxed than he's ever seen it before.

It's what keeps him up. Her soft features and warm body plastered against him.

That, and the fact that he also has dried cum sticking to him in all the wrong places. It was not the most pleasant of feelings but, he would endure, just to have this moment with her. He would have to leave sooner or later though, probably for the best anyway, as he's sure she'll have a lot to process tomorrow.

Bakugo was a complex individual...but he's seen it, her friendship with Kirishima, with Mina, and even with Midoriya. Once you got past her rough exterior...she was something else, someone else, to the people that she kept close to her heart.

He wants to be one of those people to her. Someone that she opens her heart up to.

Shouto thinks about all the moments leading up to this, his hooded eyes gazing at his fingers as they gently glide over her face. Tucking in that darn loose curl that he always has the urge to push behind her ear. It just never stayed put. 

Always taunting him, it seemed. Just like she was always taunting him.

All the time he's spent longing and planning. Trying to traverse the minefield that was, Bakugo Katsuki. He can't help but want to bask in her now...revel in his achievement. Shouto's gotten himself partially through an open crack and...he will fight every obstacle that gets in his way, just for her to finally be his.

He never expected to fall for Bakugo, of all people.

Honestly, he had never expected to fall for anyone.

But, he has, and...he's had lots of time to come to terms with it all. Had a lot of time to pine quietly for a person who saw him, but didn't truly see him. Not yet at least.

Now though?

His eyes rake fondly across her person again in the darkness. Unable to hold back the overwhelming feeling of contentment that had wrapped around him.

Now, is a different story... he thinks to himself.

Now...there is an actual light at the end of this unyielding tunnel that he's decided to go down. That he feels like he's been travelling down for forever.

"...'mmm..."

Shouto glances back down at her as she murmurs something soft against his collarbone in her sleep. Grins fondly as she snuggles closer to him, rubbing her face into his chest.

He bows his head, so his eyes are shadowed by his own hair and just clings to her. His heart having a field day, racing and running away from him.

He tries to think back to a time before he'd started feeling this way about her.

But, his emotions concerning Bakugo had always been there, in some form or capacity. Complicated. He would say. Even in First Year, back when she'd been at the peak of her hotheadedness, he'd disliked her for a while. He'd respected her raw drive and strong quirk, of course, but had resolved to keep his distance from her back then. 

...or he tried to keep his distance from her.

Shouto had made every attempt to stay out of her orbit. She was the definition of a Ticking Time Bomb during First Year. Had been prone to tantrums and hissy fits that had made even the most composed of them bristle. He'd dedicated himself to staying out of the crossfire of whatever issues she had with Midoriya, but always, somehow, found himself on Bakugo's radar anyway. Most of the time without even trying. 

It had honestly been exhausting, dealing with her that first six months of First Year. She'd been a real pain to interact with. 

Especially since Shouto had been dealing with his Father and trying to find his way in the world during that time. He'd been in his rebellious phase...and things like relationships? Romantic or otherwise? Well, it hadn't been at the forefront of his mind.

But slowly, after much hardship and battles fought over the course of that First Year, he'd slowly warmed up to her. 

Mostly because Bakugo had been hard to ignore. Of her own doing. She refused to be silenced and it was either avoid her completely...or get with the program and accept that she was who she was. Faults and bully personality and everything else in between, because she wasn't going anywhere and so you 'better get the fuck over it'. 

Even if he'd wanted to ignore her, pretend she wasn't there, she made that entirely impossible. Always snarling after him, always challenging him and shouting at him to use his fire on her. She'd declared him threat # 1 in Class A and had done whatever she could to get in his face and make a stink for practically all of their First Year at U.A.

They'd been gravitating towards each other for years now, almost-friends during their remedial classes and trying to get their provisional licenses. Forced to spend time together for many hours of the day, due to the nature of their living arrangements and extra circulars.

Then the War...and everything that had come out of that. 

Bakugo had almost died on so many occasions during the War, that it was a miracle she was even laying here to begin with. The first time, when she'd been impaled by Shigaraki's dark tentacles, a hit that had been meant for Izuku. The second time, when fighting against AFO, and her heart had been punctured, blood vessels bursting, due to an overuse of her Cluster Bomb technique. According to reports, Bakugo had been clinically dead that second time. If it hadn't been for Pro-Hero Edgeshot's timely interference, using his quirk 'Foldabody' to mend her heart and the area around it, she'd have never left that battlefield alive. 

Sometimes, Midoriya would speak with Shouto about what they'd witnessed during that time. Most of their class had recovered since then, a few years into therapy and time itself, had begun to heal them. But, sometimes, during cold nights and harsh storms, did the mental trauma sneak back up on them. 

Shouto remembers Midoriya confiding in him one night. Out of all the horrors they had witnessed during those months. All the atrocities, heartache and death that had been wrought by the League, AFO and Shigaraki. It paled in comparison to the mental image of seeing Bakugo's lifeless body lying cold and unmoving on the ground at their feet. That, more than anything, was what still kept the young OFA user up at night. Izuku had said that he'd come to terms with everything they'd been forced to do and see. But those visions of Bakugo would never leave him. It haunted him to this very day.

After the War, Bakugo and Todoroki began growing much closer. Most of their class did. It made sense. After such tragic and traumatic events, it would be hard for anyone not to become closer because of all that had happened.  

But, it wasn't until Second Year that Shouto had started to develop feelings for her. Over time, bleeding into Second Year Festivals, he'd changed his tune in regards to her. Started to see her in a different way.

After their fierce battle in the finals, with Tokoyami and Midoriya, Bakugo had caught up with him later at the Alliance Building that evening, as Shouto was returning from a visit with Recovery Girl. 

Bakugo had given him the biggest grin, cornering him against the kitchen island in the dorms. He'd just stared in horror at her happy face, such an unusual thing to see...it had actually scared him. She'd shouted and ranting at him about how much fun she'd had and how he better always bring the heat and then had just promptly sauntered away.

Shouto had just been so flabbergasted by her change in attitude. He'd just stared stupidly at her retreating back as she'd strolled causally up to her dorm at the time. She, without a care in the world for how her face lighting up for him in such a way... would destroy him for almost two weeks after.

That might have been the catalyst for everything that came after. He's not ashamed to say he might have become obsessed with her during those two weeks. But, no one needs to know that...

He'd been falling deeper and deeper ever since.

Watching her from afar, but also inserting himself more into her life. Asking to hang out and just generally conversing with her when she would allow it. They would study a lot and their friend groups were always blending, so it wasn't hard to eventually form a solid foundation of friendship with her.

But then, as Second Year started to bleed into Summer Vacation, on the last week before their month break, Bakugo had taken a barrage of bullets that had initially been meant for Midoriya.

He hadn't been there.

But from what his smaller friend had told him, they'd just been heading home from an assignment out in the field. An old, displaced League member who'd stayed incognito after most of the big ones had been killed or locked up. Just some small time lackey who had a grudge and had been tracking them. 

They'd waited and used their “precision strike” from their gunslinger quirk. Able to change their fingertips into sniper bullets and fire at will.

He'd been aiming for Midoriya, who hadn't had a single clue. But Bakugo's instincts had kicked in just at the last second and she had slammed into him, knocking them both to the ground.

It's the only reason Bakugo hadn't gotten lethal wounds. The sniper's aim was always deadly. He was striking to kill, after-all. This was the League. So the momentum of their bodies colliding meant that she'd taken three strikes in non- vital areas.

But, it had still be a gruesome sight. At least, that is what Midoriya had said. 

Shouto is reminded of Izuku telling him, even just few weeks ago, how he still gets nightmares from the way she'd just fallen lifeless to the ground. Holes racking through her bleeding clothes, color draining from her eyes as she went unconscious.

Todoroki still doesn't know how he feels about it all. How self-sacrificing she was. How she was stubborn and willing to throw herself in the middle of danger. 

He doesn't want to see her that way ever again. Her clinging to life by a thread.

Shouto remembers very vividly back during the War, when Bakugo had been impaled by Shigaraki's dark tentacles, an attack that had been meant for Izuku. Bakugo had pushed their green-haired classmate out of the way, knowing that Izuku couldn't handle another wound like that...and had rushed in without thinking, to protect him. 

Shouto had watched in horror as Bakugo's body had convulsed, blood splattering everywhere as five tentacles ran through her body. He remembers Midoriya's scream of horror as Bakugo hurtled to the ground with a splat of finality. She'd recovered, barely, from those wounds. Loosing so much blood it had been startling. But it was still a sight he's never been able to forget. 

He'd been helpless to help her then, too preoccupied with fighting Dabi. 

He'd been helpless to save her when her heart had practically imploded and she'd been on the brink.

...and even recently, back only a few months ago. He hadn't been around to protect her from some wannabe League member who didn't have a clue that the party was over. How horrifying a thought...to fight so hard against Shigaraki and AFO...only to then get taken out so casually by a b-lister with a hate on. 

Midoriya's retelling of the story and Shouto's own imagination have given him enough anxiety to last for a while.

But, he knows he's naïve…they are training to be Heroes, after all. These things happened sometimes. A lot of time...

He may, one day, come face-to-face with that, but...he hopes by then, that he'll always be there to protect her.

The League member had gotten away, making a quick escape after they'd missed their target. Scared off by the swarming crowd of bystanders and Midoriya's screaming. But they nab him only a couple hours later with the help of his father and Best Jeanist, who had been brought in to catch him.

But still...it had happened so fast. Neither of them had been prepared for it. It was a uneasy reminder that nothing was ever black and white. That life could turn on a dime when you least expected it.

He spends the first part of his Summer Vacation visiting her in the hospital, worried and wondering. He'd felt haunted. But also invigorated. Determined, because now, he finally felt ready to pursue her. Like her third, fourth, fifth? near-death experience had given him the much-needed kick in the ass to finally make a move on her.

She'd been placed into a coma for a couple of days after the surgery and quirk-endued healing. But she'd eventually recovered, with only a scar over her heart as a reminder of how close she'd come that day.

She'd saved Midoriya... without hesitation.

He was alive and well, because of her.

For those shots would have had deadly consequences if they'd hit him the way that had been intended.

That villain had been notorious for a perfect kill count.

He'd never missed a shot.

Her heroic act had made a permanent change wash over them all.

The entire class had be regarding her differently since then. Not in a bad way, but in a kind of respectful sort of way. People around the school had taken way more notice of her, once the story got out and he thinks that might be why she'd gotten all that attention on Valentines day.

She'd had admirers before, but this year, there had been an almost constant influx of people asking her out and fawning over her.

She'd been a hot topic of conversation since that incident.

Midoriya's hero-worship was the worst he'd ever seen it.

But then, they are all feeling the affects of her.

Him more than most.

It's hadn't been long after when he had started to set his plans in motion.

He's brought out of his memories when Bakugo makes another soft sound in her sleep and he cannot help feel grateful for her presence, in light of the direction his thoughts have taken.

He sighs to himself, mulling over the last few months and glances at her bedside clock again. It's almost 2:30 now and they have class in five hours...which means, he'll only be able to sleep for a short while. He still needs to get himself clean as well, but...

All this reminiscing meant that he was loathe to leave her right now.

This is what he's wanted for so long.

He doesn't want this to be the only time he gets to wrap his arms around her.

He's a sap...he knows. He's content in himself to not care in the slightest. He is who he is.

How can he not be?

He's in love with her...

...and has been for a while now.

He spends as much time as he can holding her, but eventually he does get up. Sadly slinking from the addicting warmth and out from under the covers.

He needs to go and clean up and try to get some sleep himself, the school day already fast approaching. He glances over his shoulder at her limp form from the door as he's about to leave. She'd not even flinched as he'd removed himself of her grip. It means she really has been tired lately, if she wasn't reacting to the sound of his small noises as he made to leave her dorm room.

...or maybe she is just that comfortable around me, he thinks wondrously.

He quietly opens her door and leaves through the hallway, lit up with soft blue security lights. He's about to close her door behind him, but an idea strikes him and he leaves it slightly ajar, intending to come back.

He makes his way to his own dorm, down a set of stairs, through a hallway and up another set, to the boys side of the building. When he makes it to his room, he unlocks the door with his key and slips inside, heading straight for his desk on the left.

He chuckles to himself when he opens one of the desk drawers, the contents shuffling around the wooden space, before he's plucking a pink valentine from the pile. He's already got more cut up, no words written yet, as those were spur of the moment things.

He's going to leave her another one, right next to her on the bed. Just because he knew it would annoy her when she woke up. That even if he couldn't be there physically, he still wanted her to be thinking of him.

Plus, and he cannot help the grin now, she is almost irresistible when she's in a foul mood. He can't wait to see how she reacts during classes tomorrow.

He sits down at his desk and ponders over the words he wants to write, trying to figure out the best thing to say.

The Valentines had started on an impulsive whim.

By complete accident. But truthfully? He'd just been running out of options. None of his other ideas seeming to stick when he'd tried them on her.

She was a hard sell, for most things, but he'd...slowly been getting there.

He thinks.

Like a gross turtle...but...eh, slow and steady wins the race, right?

But yes, the Valentines had been a complete free throw, a shot in the dark.

He still remembers that glorious day.

He'd watched in shock and awe, with the rest of their class, as Bakugo had come to homeroom on that fateful Feb 14^th day, and just wrecked havoc on them all for ten minutes before Aizawa had finally saved them.

When he says that, he actually means it. Kaminari and Mineta had been half-way out of a class window, hanging for dear life, by the end there. Aizawa's quick use of his binding ropes had been the only thing to save them as Bakugo had been about to shove them out.

She had been a chaotic mess.

Shouto had forced himself to keep a straight face for the entire time she was ranting and raving. Random chocolates and stuffed teddies had been exploding around the classroom, all at random disorderly intervals.

She'd just been so pissed.

She didn't usually get like that anymore, like her Year 1 self who lost her mind on every little thing. She'd matured a lot, and tried to keep her reactions on the more safe and sane level of things now-a-days. But... to see her so flustered and angry. Like a little firecracker, shooting off her mouth and scaring the crap out of most of the class had been a real treat to see.

Seeing her so passionate and feral had lit a new fire in him.

His thought process had been this: if he could get her to react like that to him, then maybe he stood a shot.

So he'd sent that first Valentine, weeks later... the words so filthy he'd blushed and erased them almost five separate times. But they'd come to him while watching her stretching after a workout, her slim frame striking lewd yoga poses right in perfect view of the treadmill he was running on.

He'd actually almost tripped and fell during that workout, his feet catching, mouth gawking when she'd gotten on her hands and knees and arched her back. Shouto had gotten an instant hard-on.

It had been so embarrassing.

Kirishima had been giving him suspicious looks from his place on the weights for the rest of that session. Shouto's face had been red and his nose had been bleeding, but he'd just shrugged it off as overheating when Bakugo had come over and asked him what his problem was.

Working up the courage to actually give her the card, had taken another entire week.

He'd hesitated and mulled it over so many times he'd felt annoyed with himself for just not manning up. She wouldn't even know it was him, not right away at least. He doesn't know why he'd been over-thinking it, but it still sets him back by a few days. He had been pretty sure she would catch on, eventually. But in the meantime he would remain anonymous so he just needed to do it.

By the time he finally works up the nerve...it's almost the end of February, Valentines Day long over and now...he has to try to get the card into her backpack without her noticing...and yeah, that had been the biggest challenge yet.

He'd eventually managed, by the skin of his tail. But she was tricky and always on the lookout.

...and the rest, as they say, was history.

He shakes his head and finally picks up the pen, moving his right hand fluidly across the small pink heart, fully back in the present. All these thoughts were not going to help him calm down and sleep in a little while and he cannot help but sigh to himself.

He's already prepared himself for a scarce night of rest.

'Show me your Fire'

It comes to him easily.

He wants to see her out of control again. To be the one who makes her that way. To swoop in and hold her close and be the person she could always rely on.

He wants to wake up every day with her there next to him and fight by her side when the world throws itself at them.

Wants to bathe her in affections and drive her insane with his antics. Wants to get on his knees for her and pray she gives him everything. Wants to cherish her and be the person to rile her up. Wants to love her, be gentle with her, only to throw her against a wall and fuck her until she can't think straight.

It's what she does to him.

Time is relative...he tells himself. No matter how long it took, he would get what he wanted. Slow and steady may not be the fastest or more pleasing way.

But it was the right way.

There is no way in hell that he's going to pull back now.

Not when she's finally looking back.

I want you to be mine, Bakugo...

Will you be mine?

He cleans up and gets a little bit of sleep not long after he leaves her the Valentine.

He rests and wakes at his alarm. Gets himself ready and before he knows it, he's sitting in Homeroom hours later, yawning into his hand. Despite his tiredness, he's in a fantastic mood already. He keeps re-reading over Bakugo's exciting text message from earlier and trying to not look like a love-sick fool.

'You have no idea what's coming for you Icyhot! Just you wait!'

She was so feisty.

Most of the class is here, except for one blonde and bold who seemed to be running late.

She arrives just as the bell rings and Aizawa steps in behind her as she scurries in quickly, almost missing the mark by a hairsbreadth.

Todoroki, who was blessedly sitting in the back of the class, keeps his head down as Aizawa calls them to order. Bakugo takes her seat at the front of the class, but he can tell the moment her gaze lands on him and yeah, he can feel the tension from across the room.

It just makes him giddy though.

The white noise of a busy cafeteria lights up Shouto's ears as he and his class make their way inside the lunch space a few hours later. He tries to hold in a yawn that's been harassing him all morning during classwork, but it's a lost cause. He didn't get as much sleep as he should have last night...but, then, he is not complaining in the slightest.

They all grab their usual tables, most of Class A sit in the same seats every lunch hour and they enjoy a peaceful meal together for almost half of their break.

It's Midoriya who finally breaks the silence, hastily whispering, “uhhhh...Todoroki?”

“Hmm?” he hums lazily, glancing up from his lunch tray to see Midoriya looking over his shoulder in horror.

“Are you and Kacchan fighting or something...?” he questions, his green eyes wide and fearful.

He scoffs, “when aren't we?”

“Ehhh..? No...no I mean...this is a little different...” he mutters, looking between the two.

Shouto notices that he seems about ready to bolt for the door and...he can't really blame him. He knows she's been burning a hole into the back of his head since they'd been dismissed for lunch today. It was hard to miss the overbearing feeling of a full on 100% Bakugo Katsuki patented glare. Even if his back was turned to her.

She was full furious and lethal today and...Todoroki can't help but relish in it. He's been keeping his head down because of how much he likes it. Having her pissed off and full attention focused on him was making it hard for him to control his hormones.

He'd been pining after her for almost a year now.

He's allowed this moment to enjoy the fruit of his labors.

She was finally paying attention to him.

Ida pipes up from next to Midoriya, casually continuing to each his lunch, a full on expert now at ignoring the explosive girl after years of saturation. “I think what our friend is trying to say, is that Bakugo has been glaring at you for almost fifteen minutes. Since you sat down for lunch, in fact.”

“Uhuh! Uhuh! Yeah.” the green-haired hero was gulping. Unfortunately, from where he was seated, he was also getting the full effect of her displeasure. He wonders if that had been the reason his table had been so quiet this last little bit. Conversation normally flowing between the friends. “Is this a code red situation? Or more like an abort and get the heck outta here type thing?” He's then hissing in a whispered hush, leaning over the table to speak, “what did you do?”

“Not much,” Shouto drawls, being purposely vague. He'd done lots of things. Lots and lots and lots. Endless things to annoy and get on her nerves whenever he could. He's surprised he's still alive at this point.

He almost gulps. 

Hell hath no fury like a Bakugo scorned...

'You've got no idea what's coming for you!'

Mmm, I want you to give me everything you've got...

“Does it ever take much?” Ochako mutters against her drink, responding to the smaller hero.

“I guess that's true,” Midoriya mumbles, sagging back down in his seat and trying to take a few bites of his food while squirming under that intense crimson stare.

“Has Kirishima or Mina given us the signal yet?” He questions nonchalant.

Ochako shakes her head, “no, in fact...Mina's been smirking at us for almost just as long as Bakugo has been glaring...so I don't think we've reached level 7 yet on the Blasty scale.”

“Good, then it should be fine...” he wonders if he's trying to convince himself of that, or them...

Anything below a 7 on the scale meant that Bakugo was still restrained and wouldn't yet attack. 8 or higher and...you better look the hell out.

The incident the other day in the locker room, according to Kirishima and Kaminari, had bled over into a 13. He's a little pissed off he hadn't gotten to see her reach that new number. Especially when he'd found out the reason she'd been beside herself.

He shakes his head. Such a missed opportunity.

He glances over his shoulder, not able to resist, just wanting to take a peak at her beautiful angry face, but instead, when he glances over all he gets is a sneering, snarling demon.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT, ICYHOT?!” she shouts at him across several tables, snapping like a Venus fly trap on an unsuspecting prey.

Midoriya and Ochako just tense up with a “eeeppp!” and sit up in their seats, like they'd been zapped with electricity. Ida continues to eat his meal and read over the notes he'd written during class this morning.

Shouto quickly turns back around just in time for a fond smile to fall across his lips, without his say-so, as a matter of fact. He can't contain the hearty feeling in his chest though and the expression just bursts onto his face unexpectedly.

He hears a scuffle across from him and sees Ochako slapping Midoriya hard in the shoulder to get his attention, like he wasn't already glue to the spectacle. She freaks out and makes a cut off shriek and then all of his friends are staring at him like he'd just murdered someone.

Midoriya gapes at him, “Todoroki...are you...are you smiling?”

Todoroki was smiling, because...he was having a most wonderful day so far.

Last night...he'd finally kissed Bakugo.

Honestly, he wants to shout it from the schools rooftop. But he knows that's not proper social decorum.

Still...

After months and months of longing, of thinking of her always, he'd finally just done it. Impulsive and impatient and not able to resist her most vulnerable self.

She was just so stunning.

He'd not gone to her room for that purpose.

He'd gone there to bring her dinner, because he'd known she would go without if he didn't. Had thought to try his luck with a show, just an hour or two between them and her laptop. Innocent in nature, but also not innocent per-see.

He hadn't gone there with the intent to make a move on her or for...any of the events that had transpired after their shared kiss to have happened.

But, he also wouldn't deny that he knew when to jump on an invaluable opportunity.

He'd just wanted to spend time with her last night, be in her company. It's why he'd pushed so hard to hold her books yesterday afternoon, just wanting to chat with her. Why he'd purposely gone solo at the mall on Saturday, hoping to run into her.

Lately, he'd been looking for any excuse he could just to get her alone. Biding his time and laying the groundwork for when he'd finally work up the nerve.

But last night...

She had been so soft. Sleepy, ruffled appearance giving her an even more charming aura. She'd pulled him into her orbit, no questions asked.

He wasn't able to hold himself back. Following behind her like a puppy, looking for a little affection.

Like she's a magnet and he, a super conductive metal.

She'd been giving him a look for most of the night, from the moment she'd called him out while eating the tarts, this heated leer. He's heard Ochako use the term 'bedroom eyes' before and he finds those words fit best.

Crimson eyes hooded as she laid next to him, curled up under the covers in her skimpy sleeping clothes.

He'd almost had a heart attack when she'd opened her door and he'd been face-to-face with that!

She was such a sexy little thing, even while wiping drool from her cheek and rubbing sleepies out of her eyes.

How can he not be drawn to her?

She was beautiful in her own right, easy elegance and confidence to her that made her shine most days. But, her curt personality and tempestuous sharp mouth made her brazen and spicy and unrestrained. She was a wild card on the best of days, a downright chaotic tornado on others.

Unpredictable. Like last night, as she turned the tables and laid claim to him in whatever way she wished.

“Uhhhh...Todoroki? Are you okay?”

Shouto is pulled from his thoughts, having completely forgotten that he was in the middle of lunch and had zoned out for a good two minutes. Leaving his friends hanging of their enquiries as they continued to gawk at his pleased expressions.

He sobers up and turns his face neutral, back to normal territory. He waves them off, “don't worry so much. I can handle anything that Bakugo wants to dish out. I've had lots of practice you forget...”

“Yeah, I dunno...” Ochako whispers, glancing back over towards the Baku-squad. “I think you might want to avoid any dark corners or easy ambush areas. In fact...maybe stay in groups...yeah...that's probably best. Don't go to any of the public washrooms either, that is too easy a target...”

It's good advice, but then again...maybe he wants to be ambushed. “It'll be fine.”

His friends just glance at each other uneasily, “if you say so...” Midoriya hums, sharing looks with the others and wondering if Todoroki was just in the mood to die that day.

Shouto shrugs and continues to eat his lunch, hiding a smile the whole time, without a care in the world.

Yes, it was shaping up to be a fantastic day.

He was really looking forward to this.

He should have known better than to underestimate her though...

Punch to the gut.

Knee to the ribs.

Jump and flip and roundhouse kick to the face and Bakugo was already on him, only seconds after the starting countdown had reached zero.

They are in full hero attire, doing some training exercises at Ground Beta.

It's only a total coincidence that Aizawa had paired them up for battle today.

At least...that's what he tells himself anyway, as he fights to even breath.

She's relentless.

She strikes him with a barrage of physical moves, keeping him on the defensive as she gets in close and assaults him nonstop so he can't use his quirk easily. It's a tactic she has perfected. Overwhelm and Overcome. Quick and efficient in close combat. Every move calculated for maximum impact. Not holding back her punches and kicks at all. Not giving you a chance to breath or think or move.

“You're leaving yourself too open,” Aizawa gripes dully into his ear piece. He and the other students awaiting their turns are located inside an off-site monitoring room. Watching their match-up on a big T.V. “If you let her continue her assault, she'll have you down in no time.”

He only grunts and back-flips away from an incoming right hook. Knowing from experience how nasty those shots can be if connected. She comes for him again, quick and agile and making no sound. No taunts or shouts or even an angry face. Just good ol' fashioned 1 vs 1 brawling and her stony, impassive gaze.

She bobs and weaves through his attempts to trip her up with his fists, but she quickly squats down and kicks out his legs. Then blasts him so hard in the gut that he launches across the makeshift city road and into a building through a glass window.

He lands in a painful heap against a random power generator, rubble and debris and glass showering everything as he lays awkwardly on top of it.

“ow...” he groans as he sprawls.

He guesses he deserves that...

He'd known this was going to be a rough ride when Aizawa had paired them together.

He's smiling to himself and staggering to his feet, feeling pleased with himself.

She was furious. It was amazing.

He couldn't even really concentrate on this fight properly at all. Thinking of her from late last evening. Her fire and wit and her hot lips trailing wildfire upon his face. Setting him alight. Her vulnerable side and the way she'd clung to him in her sleep after. Her peaceful resting face unchecked and beautiful when he'd left her room only hours later.

He doesn't even realize that she's snuck up on him in the building, so caught up in his mind that before he knows it, he's being knocked out by a well aimed hit to the head. Then handcuffed and dragged out into the street, just as the buzzer sounds across the fabricated city.

Looks like the Heroes win.

Back in the monitoring room, the rest of Class A are staring at the screen in shock.

“Uh...guys?” Kaminari says, “...eh? Did Blasty just kick Todoroki's ass in under four minutes..?”

To which they all explode and make a bunch of noise and all try to talk over one another at the events that had just unfolded.

Aizawa rolls his eyes, his face deadpan, “always got to be something, damn problem children.” He turns to the chatty class, not even missing a beat in the face of Bakugo's easy win. “Next team, you're up! Remember, Bakugo's score is what you have to beat in order to get the best cabin when we go to the Hot Springs next weekend.”

For which the rest of the class only groan in unfairness and continue to gawk at the screen.

There was only 2 separate cabins at the resort that were up for grabs. With only one of those cabins being an executive suite. The rest would be forced to share space with the others. With Mineta!

There is no way any of them are finishing in less than four minutes.

So now there was only 1 chance left!

They all glance around at each other, baring their teeth as their competitiveness ramped up.

Aizawa can just be heard sighing in the background.

Meanwhile, Bakugo is literally dragging Todoroki out of Ground Beta, still cuffed and everything, pulling him across the dirty ground while she heads for the resting point.

The resting point is a building where the students would gather to cool off after their battles, to then later meet back up with Aizawa. She snarling angry curses, barely words, more just disjointed syllables and exclamations when Todoroki finally comes back to himself.

He's feeling a little dizzy.

“Oh...is the match over?”

Opps, probably shouldn't have said that...

He knows it was a dumb thing to say when she whirls around, face sweaty and beet red, mouth twisted ugly as she snarls his name with venom. “Is the match over?! THAT WASN'T EVEN A MATCH TO BEGIN WITH, ASSHOLE! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!”

...and uh oh...he knows how sensitive she can be when it comes to their face-offs.

Many many memories come to mind, but most particularly, how she'd acted towards him during the First Year Sports Festival. It was always a sore spot with her. Giving her his all when they fought together. It was like her sign of respect in a way. You show me yours and I'll show you mine, sort of thing.

So when she hauls him up to eye-level with her impressive strength and just flips him hard onto his back, to the point where the wind gets knocked clean out of him, he knows that he's messed up.

He stares at her retreating form from upside down as she storms inside the rest point, leaving him behind to gasp for air and pick himself back up.

Damn.

That had not been how he'd wanted things to progress.

When he enters the small building later, after giving Bakugo time to cool off a bit, he grabs a pair of keys off a table and removes the cuffs.

He lays the restraints down after, while glancing around to the space that mirrored a waiting area at a doctors office. Flat-screen T.V mounted on the wall, displaying a few different matches. A bunch of couches and a few tables and chairs for furniture. Small refrigerator full of water and snacks.

They were the only ones here, their matches usually lasting a lot longer than most and they had been one of the first teams to be sent out. Aizawa had initially sent them first so they'd have time to duke it out before he sent off a couple of other teams he knew wouldn't take as long.

But four minutes?

That was really bad. No wonder she was so pissed off.

He grabs a bottle of water out the fridge and catches sight of Bakugo's hero apparel sitting on a counter-top. She'd removed her single sleek grenade gauntlet and grenade utility belt and padded gloves, her head piece as well, laying them all neatly together.

He idly wonders where she's gone off to, when he hears her muttering from down the hallway, having apparently just finished up using the singular restroom and was heading this way.

He freezes, like a deer caught in headlights, when she glances up and immediately sneers at him.

“Listen,” he tries to reason, feeling guilty and wanting to make it up to her. “I didn't do it on purpose...I just...”

“Made an embarrassment outta yourself?!” she growls. “How dare you pull that bullshit on me! Who the hell do you take me for?!”

“Bakugo...” he can't help but move closer to her. Like a moth drawn to a flame. She's pouting a little bit, he can tell. Barely noticeable, but it's there, almost like she's a little hurt over this. He holds out his water bottle, as a peace offering and watches as she scoffs at him.

She comes closer too, her pointer finger pressing hard against his chest as she glared up at him. “You tell me to show you my fire! But get cold feet just as the getting gets good! You fuckin' bailing on me now when I'm about to bring the heat?!”

There is a flash in his mind then, lightening quick. Snippets of her face as she lost herself to pleasure, how she'd certainly brought the heat during their encounter last night. How she'd looked grinding on top of him with abandon.

He has to mentally slap himself to get back on track.

He's got to read between the lines with that one though, because she's speaking about them. About what he'd written on the card this morning, wanting her to give him her all. But, when they'd been given the perfect opportunity to sort each other out, he'd basically withdrawn.

He frowns, he feels like he's let her down somehow.

He softly grabs her right hand in both of his own, the one jabbing uncomfortably into his chest and tries to hide a smile when she gasps out at his gesture. He pulls her small wrist up to his face and gives her the softest of kisses, right on the middle of her knuckles and holds her hand.

She's gaping at him, her face flushing into such an attractive shade of pink that he wants to kiss her on the spot. She's adorable sometimes. When he catches her off-guard and makes her squirm for him. It's when she is her most irresistible. Her true lethal form. He cannot deny her anything when she looks so stunned.

He glances at her from the cover of his bangs, catching her gaze and kissing her knuckles again. “I'm sorry Bakugo, I haven't been feeling myself today...I wasn't able to battle with you the way you deserved.”

“That's...” she stutters, shifting and fidgeting in her stance. But she doesn't pull her hand away. “That's no fucking excuse, Icyhot!”

“I know...” he mumbles, now just holding her one hand in his two as he regarded her. She looked like she was fighting with herself. Wanting to be mad at his earlier actions but also a little overcome with how he was treating her now. She's precious. “I just...” and he sighs, glancing down and away, feeling like there is a lump in the back of his throat, full of so many emotions. He decides that being honest with her is the right course of action. “I haven't been able to stop thinking about you all day...” he confesses, feeling his own cheeks redden at his sappy, awkward words.

He feels, now that that the dominoes have started to fall, these things are just going to come bursting out of him from now on. His blunt word vomit. He can't help the way he feels and he never tries to filter the things he says. Why not be perfectly honest with everyone all the time? It meant that no one ever doubted his words when he spoke them.

She makes this choked sound and bristles, finally pulling her hand away and stumbling towards the refrigerator. He blinks in her general direction at her quick escape, turning to see her slamming open the fridge to grab her own water bottle.

She's not making eye contact. He can tell her lips are trembling and she's hiding her face from his view, the skin of her neck burning red. She's embarrassed, but he can tell that she isn't as annoyed by him anymore. He watches her silently, she uncaps the water and chugs basically the entire bottle in one go, her movements jerky and uncoordinated.

She throws the empty bottle in a trash can and makes a small annoyed sound before she stomps over to one of the couches. Throwing herself down on the cushions and curling up into a small adorable ball of flustered dandelion against the arm rest. She hasn't said one word to his confession, but from what he can tell, she's still just trying to process everything.

They were venturing into new uncharted territory now. He had to be more cautious with how he approached her.

He quietly makes his way over to her position, gingerly sitting down right next to her. She flinches when he saddles up to her and casually leans against the back of the couch.

He grasps for anything to say, her silence making him squirm. “So, did you like the pocky?”

“Tch...” she snorts, glaring at the wall to her right. Pretending to ignore him.

“I ate all of mine when we got home,” he confesses.

She whirls around, “you ate three boxes of that stuff?!”

“Yes.”

“Ugh...disgusting.”

Disgusting? No, they had been delicious. He'd been sad when he had eaten them all in one sitting. He should have bought more. But then, he'd spent an hour just sitting on his bed and staring at the pictures they'd taken together and before he'd known it, the tasty treats had been gone.

He hadn't really planned to eat them all.

“They were great,” he says, shrugging.

Then they are silent again. Only just a tad awkward. His earlier honest words creating tension between them.

They sit and watch the matches on the T.V mounted to a wall across from them. Most of them were just starting and from the match-ups, it would probably be a good fifteen to twenty minutes before anyone took the second win. Ochako and Mina were facing off. Kaminari and Sero. Shoji and Jirou. Ida and Tsu.

“Hmm...” he hears her hum and she's eyeing the screen critically. She's sitting by the armrest and leaning towards the T.V on an angle. Todoroki is sitting proper right next to her and he moves his right arm across the back of the couch as she subconsciously leaned into him. “My picks: Sweet Cheeks, Tape Face, Goth Girl and Four Eyes.”

Shouto, used to all of Bakugo and her nicknames, gives the back of her head a frown, “you don't think Kaminari can win over Sero?”

“Hell no!” she rasps, eyes sparkling when she turns to him. He casually moves his resting arm over her shoulders and subtly guides her closer. She doesn't seem to notice or is too engrossed in her thought process to realize. “Sero is gonna cream that little fucker!”

“To be honest, they might be evenly matched. I think that's why Aizawa paired them up. Maybe that's the theme of the day?”

“Hmph,” she grumbles, crossing her arms over her chest, clearly still quite miffed over his mess up earlier. This wont do at all. “Fucking wasted opportunity, you bastard!”

“Hey now,” he mumbles, suddenly pulling her into his lap. She flails and shrieks, clearly not expecting his aggressive behavior. Her back is to his chest and he cannot help but bury his face into her messy curls. Her smell is just so intoxicating. “I said I was sorry, didn't I?” he mutters into her hair.

“Wah...what are you doing?” she gruffly croaks, her tone low and whispering. He feels her shiver as he nibbles at a spot behind her ear and he relishes as she arches her neck, her back against his chest as he gently touched her. His strong arms coming around to hold her waist.

He can feel her shiver and it makes all kinds of lewd thoughts enter his mind.

“I dunno...what am I doing?” he hums against her. Nuzzling into her soft curls again and getting a good whiff of her vanilla scented hair. “You smell so good, Bakugo,” he breaths against her, feeling a trance befall him as he sinks into her.

He sneakily slides the strap of her hero top off her shoulder and hums as he trails soft kisses up and down her bare skin. He hears her breath hitch and it's music to his ears.

“Icyhot,” she whispers, sounding just as affected as he feels.

She wraps one of her arms around his neck and pulls him flush against her backside, tense and trembling as he nibbled on one of her bare shoulders.

It's not until he impishly blows a breath of icy air against her heated neck, that she snaps out of whatever spell he'd managed to weave. She lashes out, whirling around, face a red mess and shoves him away and off the couch. “Don't fucking do that shit!” she growls, jerking away quickly and replacing the strap of her top that was hanging off her shoulder from his ministrations.

What the...?

One minute, she's putty in his hands, the next, he's getting well acquainted with the hardwood flooring.

Endless endless mines he must maneuver, at all times.

It's kind of ironic that one of their first ever official face-offs had been on a literal minefield, the obstacle race during the First Year Sports Festival.

It's almost like a segway into their entire relationship.

She could change the tides fast in a face-off. It felt like they were battling in a new kind of duel. A spar. Where they kept circling each other, until one of them might make a move or give in.

“You just gonna lay there like an idiot?!” she hollers above him, overlooking his person still sprawled across the floor with a scowl and making him jump from the abruptness of it.

“Right...” he mutters, finally getting to his feet. She's got her arms crossed defensively now, moving to hover inside of the kitchen. But he can see it for what it really is. She's trying not to give into him. Wanting to put some distance between them so she can regroup.

It's promising.

“You owe me a rematch!” she demands, her hands gesturing to the door. “That bullshit display from earlier was pathetic!”

“Name the time and place, Bakugo. I'll be there,” he offers, knowing that anything less than cooperation would be met with more outbursts. “I already told you the reason I was distra--”

“SHUT UP!” She yells, squirming. “I don't want to hear that crap again!” she's then shaking her head, soft beach curls bouncing. She catches his eyes, her crimson gaze narrowed on him, very serious. “I won't accept anything less than 110%! You hear me?!”

“Yes...I hear you...”

“GOOD! DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!”

“I won't, I promise you...”

“Tch!”

They have an intense stare down, but Todoroki is used to this and once she's satisfied, she 'hmphs' and turns away, backing down for now and he takes his opportunity.

She's gone from annoyed to sensual to shouting, all in under a five minute time span. It's a wonder he doesn't get whiplash from her behavior sometimes.

But he loves it.

Loves her.

“Soo...” he hums, moving closer to her, approaching her like an aggressive animal. Always just a tad weary. She watches him warily, her eyebrows arched, but she doesn't move. It's the perfect time to strike. “Am I forgiven...?” and he pulls her close, giving her a big vice-gripped hug as she struggled and hissed to get away. Limbs flailing and body squirming in his unbreakable hold. She gets even more frantic as he starts to kiss the side of her forehead.

“No, you bastard! Let me go! I don't forgive anything!”

“But I said I was sorry...” he says again, pouting.

“So what?!”

“So...you should accept my apology...” he nuzzles against the back of her hair.

“I don't have to accept anything,” she huffs, but she's tense and not fighting back as much anymore. His taller frame means that he's got to slouch down a bit while he hugs her from behind like this.

She's muttering angry curses and threatening to kick his ass, before she's then blushing and slumping with defeat into his hug when she uses up all her energy trying to escape him.

“There is one positive that has come out of all this...” he muses into her hair. His heart is doing somersaults as she leans against him, not moving from his embrace. Like she wants to be in his space. Like all her griping is just a cover for her true feelings.

She's definitely not mad at him anymore. It pleases him.

“Yeah, and what's that?” she mocks.

“At least now when we head to the hot springs, you don't have to share the group room with Mineta at the main cabin...”

She opens her mouth, before suddenly she is grinning, pearly white teeth gleaming in her happiness. “Holy fuck that's right...but ...do you know what's even better?!”

“What?” her smile is contagious. He wants to smirk and bask in her glee. But he should know better by now that it would be at his expense.

She turns in his arms and starts to laugh in his face, pointing at him, “'cause that means that now you DO! Bahah! There's no way that anyone gets a lower score than you...HA! Ahahahah! You're gonna be stuck sleeping in a room with a bunch of our classmates and Present MIC!!”

He frowns when he makes the realization, “wait...”

She's snorting, and it should be gross, but he finds her just so cute. “That's right...” she smirks, he can tell she feels no sympathy. “You're at the bottom of the barrel now...kukukuk.”

“No...”

But she just continues to laugh, even when he dramatically grabs her by her shoulders and shakes her, pleading with her. She's busting a gut at his panic and he can't help but glare at her.

Nothing was going according to plan!

“Oh my god, you should see your face...” she snickers.

“This is unacceptable.” Truly. He will not stand for this. There has to be some way out of this. They would be there for three days! He can't even imagine doing it for one night.

“Bakugo!” he whines.

“I guess you shouldn't have space-cased your way through our match! Serves you right! You're gonna suffer so much and I'm going to laugh my ass off about it the entire time we're there!”

Cruel. She's cruel. He loathes her. Despises her. Why does he even like her anyway? She's mean. Meaner than mean. The meanest.

He 'tuts' and begs off to the small washroom and pretends she's not snickering at his retreating back. They both know that he's trying to escape and cool down. But he doesn't care.

He's not pouting. He's not.

...he's totally pouting.

Especially when her laughter follows behind him. 

A few minutes later and he's heading back to the waiting room, feeling less frazzled and more put together after he'd taken the time to sort himself out in front of the bathroom mirror.

Ochako had warned him about possible bathroom ambushes during lunch that day...but clearly...at the time, he'd thought it more harmless than actual threat.

Suffice to say, he'd definitely made a wrong move somewhere on the chess board when he opens the door to leave the bathroom and he's promptly slammed against a wall.

This day was weird. Full of so many ups and downs.

He raises his right hand, ready to use his ice if need be against a villain, but he's being pulled into a hard sloppy kiss before he can even process.

Uhhhh..?

He sees heated crimson and ash-blonde and can only sigh in happiness.

Scratch that. Today was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

He makes a muffled sound, but his conscious state of mind is blown sky high when she starts thrusting her tongue in his mouth.

He moans. It's not the most finessed kiss. But it's raw, powerful and hungry and he cannot help but fall into her, grasping at her clothing and pulling her flush against him and taking, taking, taking.

“Todoroki!” she gasps, when she gives in to the need for air.

When he hears his name in such a way, he rushes her, pinning her to the wall opposite them now. Wanting to devour her right then an there. She makes a surprised sound, but gets with the program fast, almost making him loose his balance when she uses the wall as leverage to jump up and wrap her legs around his waist.

He gapes at her, face ruddy and stunned. His hands frantically moving to her butt and holding her secure.

“Come and get it, big boy...” she slurs, smirking back at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him back in for a deep, toe-curling kiss.

She'll be the death of me...

Then it's all a blur of want and lust and need.

Damn does she ever undue him. His perfectly crafted composure no match for her tenacity.

They kiss heatedly for a while, pants and small groans mixing in between their shared breaths. Her hands are everywhere. Nails scratch angry trails through his mismatched hair and then kneading against his shoulder blades and down his broad back. They are rutting against one another and he's so hard for her already that he feels dizzy with it.

She's sucking on his bottom lip, nibbling with her fangs on the tender skin, before she's biting harsh marks in the skin on his neck. Biting and soothing and driving him absolutely mad. All he can do is run his trembling hands back-and-forth against her warm cheeks and thighs, holding her weight against him as his legs turn to jelly.

She moans his name again and follows that up with a rough tug at his hair that has pleasure spiking raw through him. He feels his eyes roll back and he careens dangerously to the right, as if he's about to go down. He straightens and stumbles, hastily bracing himself against the wall with his right hand, before there is a sudden 'whoosh!' and the entire building is engulfed in a layer of ice.

“Shit!” he growls, his eyes hazy, feeling out of control.

“Did you just--” she rasps, but then she's snarling and she's on him again. Maneuvering herself down from her perch, just as he starts to melt the ice. She propels into him and pushes him into the bathroom. He stumbles back against the sink counter just as she slams the door closed and he only has seconds to breath when she's pulling at the zipper on his jumpsuit.

“Wait...wait...Bakugo...” he groans, as the zipper on his hero costume comes loose and she's pulling the metal all the way down to his happy-trail. “The...the ice...it's...”

But he's breathing in a sharp gasp, her lips immediately latching onto his bare, toned abs as she lowers herself to the tiled flooring, sucking more bruises into his skin that make his fire flare up and sneer ugly. His heart is beating frantic in his chest and she's just smirking at him from her position on the ground.

“Well?” she hisses and pulls back from his stomach, her crimson eyes almost black. He can't even form words, thoughts lost to him as she stared him down.

“Guh..?”

“Melt the fucking ice, idiot!”

“Right...right...” he mutters.

It only takes him a few seconds to melt the entire building, but in that time, she's staking her claim, mouth moving all over his chest as she pulls his arms through his jumpsuit, leaving the fabric to dangle at his waist.

She drops to her knees again in front of him. She's licking her lips and staring down at his covered crotch, the tent in them unmistakable. She's wrapping her arms around his waist, getting a good hold on his suit and pushing the costume over his ass, hard cock bobbing free from his athletic cup, for all the world to see.

“Fucking Christ! Are you naked under the suit?! The hell, Icyhot?!”

He can't even reply.

Why yes...he does go naked under the suit...for scientific reasons that are more to do with easier temperature regulations with prolonged quirk usages than...than easy access.

How many times has he fantasized about her putting that potty mouth on him?

Countless.

Is this really happening..? he asks himself, staring down at her with wide blurry eyes. He's gripping the edge of the counter, just to hold himself up as she inspects him.

She's basically just railroaded over him...

He really doesn't give a crap!

He holds his breath as she nuzzles at his head, feeling an embarrassing sound wanting to escape his throat that he tries desperately to hold back. She is murmuring against his heated flesh, sending shocks of anticipation through him.

Then...she's sucking on his tip.

“Bakugo...” he groans, his voice hoarse and wild as he arches back. It feels so good already. He's not going to last at all.

“Fuck yeah,” she breathes, licking on his slit for a little while and tasting the pre-cum he knows he's leaking. “Such a pretty dick. Fucking moan for me baby. Gonna suck you dry.”

...and yeah...he looses all state of mind after that statement.

He wants to keep his eyes open, but he can't. Especially when she finally swallows him down in one go, small nose nuzzling into his pubic hair and bobbing a few times. He chokes out a sound when she sucks him and then pulls completely off of him, the 'pop' off his cock smacking loud in the small space as he looses the battle on his noises.

It's lewd. Her mouth is swollen and her crimson eyes are watery. But she just goes back for more, swallowing him and a licking up and down his shaft. Her hands are griping his bare ass cheeks, pushing and pulling him into her mouth as she pleased. When she takes his balls into her mouth, he rears up, his right hand tangling into her golden hair, just for something to hold on to as he tries to keep standing.

“God,” she rasps, pulling off him and her voice is destroyed. She's the one on her knees for him, but it's her who has all the power. Whose voice and eyes are hypnotic to the point he'd do anything she asked of him. “You're so fucking hot, I just wanna choke on your cock Todoroki.”

Suck. Pop! Suck. Pop! She's as aggressive with this as she is with anything. God, he's going to lose it here in a second.

She's pulling him back into her mouth, warm and wet and the suction has him teetering on the edge of something wonderful. He's full on moaning now. Every decent of her lips has him trembling and frantic. It's so messy and wild. He feels like he's about to set fire to the entire building and let everything burn to the ground.

“Bakugo...Bakugo...'gonna,” he barely warns, pleasure spiking dangerously through him, his hips thrusting of his own accord as she takes him.

She's humming against him, squeezing his ass-cheeks, kneading them and pulling them flush into her face, then spanking him hard with her right hand, the pain making him yelp and see stars.

The feeling of her hit splinters all the way through him and that's it...

...he's gone.

When he finally does come back to himself, he's slumped back against the bathroom sink, head leaning against the glass mirror.

Wow...

He blinks his eyes open, but he can only make out shapes and blobs.

He hears a cute giggle over him and then he's got his limp arms full of blonde and beautiful.

She stands back up, wiping her face with her hand and gives him a gross, heady kiss that he can't even bother to fight.

Damn, had she swallowed all of that?

What the hell just happened?  He wonders. Staring at her in awe.

She pulls his head down to look her in the eye, grinning at him when she gets a look at his dazed, sated expression. “Nice to see the carpet matches the drapes,” she teases. “I always did wonder...” she muses to herself.

“Gah...” there, that's an appropriate response, right?

She snorts, “hurry up and get a hold of yourself, those matches should be just about over. Those losers will be here soon!”

Then she's fluttering away, leaving him to pick up the pieces of his shattered soul.

Who even is he anymore?

He finds that he cannot recall even that. 

The rest of the afternoon is spent waiting for all the matches to conclude.

Bakugo ends up being right with her predictions and the rest point fills up quickly with celebrations and sheepish, begrudging acceptances of others coming in second place.

Their classmates trickle in one-by-one and the white noise of conversations just gets louder. But, Shouto can hardly focus on any of that at all. Bakugo keeps giving him secret looks and smirking at him when no one is looking. Licking her lips and giving him those damn bedroom eyes.

He probably looks a mess, but he's hoping most of their friends just chalk that up to the blonde giving him a lecture about her easy win and not on the fact that he couldn't control his boner.

When in fact, he just feels devastated.

She'd gotten him off. But he doesn't feel sated. He wants to throw her down and worship her all over. Strip her of everything and leave her feeling just as destroyed as he feels currently.

He's never felt like this before. Like he's so rung out that he can barely stand.

She's a menace. He doesn't know if his heart can take it.

The rest of the afternoon is a little hectic, but boring. They are stuck waiting the longest for the rest of their classmates to finish their matches and by the time all is said and done, the school day has been officially over for almost 30 minutes.

Midoriya and Kirishima had ended up facing off at the end there. Bakugo had been shouting with Mina and Kaminari at the T.V, watching them go at each other. Everyone had been riled up and cheering Kirishima on and while Midoriya ended up winning that one, the Riot Hero had given him quite the fight. To the point he'd even gotten a pat on the back from Aizawa.

When the last remaining two enter the rest point, Todoroki watches as Bakugo grabs Kirishima in a headlock and tells him that he's 'fucking epic!' That he'd 'sure showed Deku who's boss' and he's 'a fucking beast and he should be proud'.

The redhead is beaming for the rest of the evening and if he spies the blonde girl giving Midoriya a respectful nod and shoulder check, than that's no ones business but his own.

He tries to pull himself together as they head back to the Alliance building.

But it feels impossible.

“What happened out there today?” Midoriya asks him, hours later, after they'd all helped themselves to dinner and were sitting around the common room socializing. Bakugo and her group of friends were outside on the veranda, sitting on the wooden railing in front of an open window, while his group of friends and a few stranglers, were lounging around inside. “It's not like you to lose so easily...”

Todoroki just face plants into the couch he's sitting on, moaning out an unintelligible sound.

“Awwh,” comes Ochako's voice, sitting down next to him and running a hand through his hair. She gives him a wobbly smile when he peers up at her with a frown, “Bakugo didn't give you too much shit, did she?”

“Ugh...” he mumbles, face planting back into the couch.

“Ooookay then...” Midoriya says, giving Ochako a weird look, to which she only shrugs.

Those two are sure acting strange today, they both think.

They don't even know the half of it.

It's much later in the evening now. This roller-coaster of a day finally winding down to a peaceful hush that had befallen the Alliance building. Most of their class turning in early for the night, after their eventful day.

Shouto tries to watch T.V in the common room alone that night. No one really around. He hasn't seen Bakugo since after dinner, after she'd hung out with her friends and made her way towards her room a little later.

He turns the television on and attempts to get comfortable.

Fifteen minutes in to Animal Planet and he's just...not that into it...

It really is more fun to watch with someone else.

But, he can't focus on narrations and wildlife.

He just thinks about her.

He wonders what she's up to. If she's getting ready for bed or studying for their upcoming mid-term. Stretching or watching videos on her phone. Is she thinking about him and what they'd done earlier? How she'd so swiftly and easily gotten the upper hand against him. He's almost a little ashamed he hadn't been able to put up more of a fight.

...and he's not talking about their match-up either.

He wonders what she'd say if he showed up at her door for a second night in a row. Would she let him in? Like she had last night or would she turn him away, wanting her space?

He could text her.

But, he doesn't want to smother her...only sometimes, well, most days he wants to smother her in affection. Shouto knows that there are limits and he must obey practical social norms and not act like a stalker.

Try telling that to his lonely feelings though, who are desperately shouting at him to go to her.

He already misses her.

He's such a sappy prat.

No, he tells himself, I'll let her have tonight...I don't want to scare her off...

No, that was the last thing he wanted to do.

He switches off the T.V and decides to forgo his usual television habits tonight, the space much too quiet for him right now. Usually he loved this. But, he's been spoiled...how could he possibly compare laying next to her in a bed to the emptiness of the cold, lonely cushions of the couch?

Nothing would be able to measure up ever again.

Oh Bakugo...

With a audible sigh, he slinks dejectedly up the stairs to his room. Feeling lovesick.

Only a ways to go now...one day, someday soon he hopes, he will no longer need to second guess himself. He'll be able to text her and seek her out without having to over-think it.

Someday, you will be mine.

When he finally settles in for the night in bed, a soft light glowing over the pages of the book he's currently reading, does he hear a sudden 'knock knock' on his balcony glass door.

He's out of bed in seconds, hugging the wall of his room, on the opposite side of the glass and keeping himself out of a range.

His curtains are drawn closed and it's dark outside, so he can't see who was there. But he hears another soft knock and makes his way closer, right hand raised for ice, just in case.

His spiked adrenaline is for nothing though.

He smooths a finger over the edge of his curtain and takes a quick glance outside.

His eyes widen and his heart starts to pound.

'Thump, thump, thump...'

What's she doing here?

It's Bakugo.

He's quick to slide the curtains back, sure his face betrays his surprise as he slides the door open. She's just wearing a black hoodie, arms inside the too-big sweater and hood secured over her blonde curls, dark pants and her converse making her blend in with the night.

“Uh...hello?” he breaths out. He is pretty sure he took a breath. He thinks he breaths. But it's hard to tell. Her crimson eyes are intense, searching and hooded. He feels like he's been frozen or something, stopped in his tacks and unable to move from under her gaze.

Wait, but isn't this his shtick?

She leans casually against the opening on his balcony door. He shucks the screen open and she's staring up at him, arms crossed and nose pointed high in the air. “Is everything..?”

“You piss me off,” she growls, then she's pushing against him, sliding them both inside his room in seconds. He stumbles back, but she's got a good hold on him. “Why aren't you downstairs watching your dumb show?”

“I...” he arches an eyebrow as he steadies himself, a sudden happy feeling exploding in his chest. He smirks. “Did you come looking for me?”

“I--!” but she snaps her mouth closed.

She had!

“Did you want to watch--”

“No!” she growls, but then she's pursing her lips. “But...” and she glances away for a second, as he blinks at her.

He barely takes a breath before she's stealing it, messily locking lips with him, and swallowing his moan at her unexpected kiss, her aggression already turning him on.

She guides him towards the open wall by the balcony door, pulling them flush, bodies slotting perfectly together. She takes and takes and he just wants to give, hands and arms running smoothly all over. Griping each other and getting lost in the intense drawl.

Just as he finally sags into her, mind shut down and instincts kicking in, does she pull back from him.

“Huh..?” he hums lazily, feeling stupefied.

They are both panting, the kiss so deep and intense he felt utterly breathless.

She'd almost kissed the life out of him.

How unexpected of her.

“Don't die in your sleep, Icyhot,” she mutters, warm breath puffing over his mouth, before she's pulling back even further, releasing him from the wall she'd pinned him to and making for the balcony again.

He's staring at her stunned and out of breath. He knows he must have a stupid look on his face. He's hard as a rock and sees her glance down at his tented sleep pants, giving him this cute little smirk, one of her fangs caught on her bottom lip.

“Bye.”

Then she's gone, almost as quick as she came. Jumping the railing and skimming down the few feet to the bottom, easy.

He wills his body to move after her, stumbling through the door, but she's quick, already hitting the grass below when he leans over the railing. “Did you come all this way just to give me a goodnight kiss?” he calls down to her, trying not to draw any attention, but unable to not tease her. There is a smile that was tearing it's way through his neutral defenses.

Well...he certainly wasn't feeling so lonely anymore.

In fact, he couldn't have been happier.

“No! Get bent, Icyhot!” and she's fluttering away, out of sight in seconds without a backwards glance, but he swears he sees that little smirk again. Like she's messing with his head and is enjoying herself.

Scratch that, he knows that’s exactly what this is.

His wills his pounding heart to calm down. But it takes a while. She's a force of nature and when she sets her mind to something, there is nothing that will stand in her way.

“Dammit...” he mutters, puffing out a harsh breath that ruffles his bi-colored bangs.

She's winning too many sets here.

He's going to have to rethink his entire strategy now.

Chapter Text

“Hurry up Katsuki! Hurry up!”

“Would you shut the hell up Ma, I'm not even at my room yet!”

“Well, HURRY UP THEN!”

“WHY THE HELL IS THE BOX SO DAMN BIG, OLD HAG?!”

“JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND DO AS I SAY!”

“MA!!”

“Hmph!”

“Tch...I'll call you back in fifteen minutes when I've tried the damn thing on!”

“No! You'll FaceTime me like we agreed and show me what it looks like! I didn't spend almost half a year designing this thing just to not see it on you! I sweat blood and tears to make you the perfect dress! So don't be an ungrateful cad and show your mother what you look like in it!!!!!!”

“Okay, okay!!” Bakugo sneers, when her mom just gets even more angry, “I'm hanging up now!”

“YOU BETTER CALL ME BACK!”

“I WILL! AHHHH!”

The phone call drops and finally, blessed silence greets her as she tries to maneuver herself into her dorm room. She's carrying a box that's almost bigger than she is, trying to balance that and her cell phone against her ear as she shimmies into her pocket to pull out her room key.

She stumbles inside, taking care not to drop the monstrosity of a package that her mother had sent her. She sets the thing on top of her bed and sighs in relief when nothing appears damaged from the outside. She quickly heads over to boot up her laptop, knowing that her mother would want the full picture during their FaceTime and not just the small screen of her cellphone.

“Ugh, damn woman,” she gripes, quickly heading towards her bathroom to wash her hands before opening her gift. Her mother would have a fit if she found out Katsuki had gotten her precious dress dirty.

It's Thursday now, only thirty minutes after she'd been dismissed from classes when she'd been called to the office to receive her care package.

Any mail that was sent to the students from family and friends had to be screened and X-rayed before they could be signed off and approved. Just for safety reasons. It was not out of the realm of possibilities for some asshole to send a bomb or something to the school. So, unfortunately, that meant she had to carry the damn thing for almost fifteen minutes from the U.A building.

Then her mom had called and kept calling when she hadn't answered the first time. Damn impatient bitch!! So she'd been forced to answer half way through her trip back to the Alliance Building.

She gets herself situated and heads back out into her bedroom, grabbing her cellphone and glancing down at the time. She notices that there is a new text message.

Todoroki to Bakugo: have dinner with me? It's so warm out today. I thought maybe we could eat outside. I know a place.

Eat outside? He knows a place? What the hell?

Why is she instantly suspicious?!

What the hell is he scheming now?  She wonders, typing in a response.

Bakugo to Todoroki: I already told you I'm not eating anything you make. Ever!

She sets the phone down and starts to open her package, the white box wrapped up nice and neat with a pink bow. The thing was HUGE! It took up her entire bed. She carefully removes the bow and opens the box, gazing over the plush tissue paper that covered her new dress.

She hears the buzz of her phone again.

Todoroki to Bakugo: Yes, I'm well aware. I didn't cook anything.

Bakugo to Todoroki: I'm not eating left over take-away soba either!

Todoroki to Bakugo: Noted. There is none of that. So...will you come?

She narrows her eyes at her phone.

Bakugo to Todoroki: whatever. Come to my dorm in an hour. Got shit to talk to my Ma about.

He just sends back some dumb cat emoji with heart eyes and she has to stop herself from blushing like an idiot.

Things between them since Tuesday had been...ridiculous. Nice...she guesses...

If she thought Todoroki was annoying before? It was nothing compared to now. But he wasn't annoying in a 'get outta my face before I bite you' kind of way. But, more of a 'why the fuck are you so sweet and why the hell aren't you kissing me yet?' kind of way.

He'd been pretty G-rated these last few days since she'd, well...since she'd basically attacked him, at the rest point. Sucked him so good he had barely been able to stand after. He'd cum so fast, it had made her ego purr.

She's been very proud of that fact. Watching Icyhot loose control like that had made her hot under the collar these last few days. She's been raring to go for a while now. But Todoroki, that bastard, wasn't making any moves yet. Stealing kisses when he thought he could get away with it and giving her warm hugs just before bed. She'd been waiting anxiously for the other shoe to drop, but so far, he'd been the perfect gentlemen.

It was infuriating.

“Just what the hell is he up to?” she growls.

She places her cell phone back on her side-table and decides to deal with one problem at a time. Right now, she needs to deal with her mom.

“Ack!”

She signs into her laptop and gets the FaceTime call ready and clicks the button to connect as she heads back over to her bed. The camera capturing her every move.

“IT'S ABOUT TIME!” comes her mother's annoying mouth. Literally two seconds after she'd sent the request. “Did you open it yet?”

“No, it's still in the tissue paper! Also, it better not be some dumb as hell girly color or I'm not wearing it!”

“BAKUGO KATSUKI!” her laptop hollers. “If you think I don't know my own daughter like the back of my fucking hand, than I'm going to smack you good the next time you get home! My dress is flawless and will look nothing short of stunning when you wear it.”

“Tch.” But she doesn't say anything else. She's only just a little excited. She'd never tell the old lady that, but she had been waiting to see this thing for months now. She reveals the black plastic sleeve covering that is used to protect the fabric and pulls at the hanger, lifting it up and out of the white box.

“I think this is my best work yet,” comes her mothers confident words through the speakers. She glances over her shoulder at the small picture showing her mom's smirking face. She lays the dress across her bed and removes the large package, standing it up and sitting it neatly against her dorm door and out of the way. “I think I might put it in my collection this season and call it 'The Daughters Dress'. Going to be a big hit!”

Then she's unzipping the plastic bag and gently pulling the hanging dress out.

The room is eerily silent, especially considering there were two Bakugo's currently present. But she was inspecting the dress and her mother was waiting with baited breath for her final say.

“It's...” but she feels a little awestruck.

Wow...

Her mom was a wizard sometimes.

“Eiiii! I knew you'd love it! Put it on! Put it on! Let me see!”

“Okay! Okay!” she rasps out, pretending there wasn't a lump forming in the back of her throat. “Give me five minutes!”

She's then in the bathroom, staring down at herself after she'd put on the dress. It felt so soft. The smooth fabric not itchy or tight feeling at all. It flowed behind her effortlessly as she came out of the washroom and stood facing her mother on the camera.

“Kat...” she whispers, staring at her in shock, a hand over her mouth.

Bakugo feels herself flush, but then she's twirling in place, the floor-length mirror on her wall capturing her entire body as she showed off.

The gown flowed like water down to her ankles, the bottom cut off so that she wouldn’t have any trouble moving around in heels, leaving just enough room below.

It was a dark burgundy color, but had a metallic glisten to it that made the color bolder, deeper in nature, but stand out just that much more. Her chest wasn't exposed, fit with a top piece that looped up and around her neck, but exposed her shoulders and delicate toned arms. It made her look more classic than sexy. She looked sophisticated, but it also showed her off in all the right ways.

Her mom makes another sound. “It's fucking perfect! Look at you now! You actually look less like a mongrel and more like a lady with some manners. I think I've outdone myself! The transformation is incredible. I don't even recognize you!”

She bristles and sneers, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING TO ME?! I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT--”

“Oh Angel,” comes the voice of her Father from the laptop and oh no! OH NO! She whirls around and storms up to the computer, an embarrassed flush falling onto her face. “You look so beautiful,” he gushes.

“Ma!” she screeches, “I thought you said Dad wasn't gonna be around for this?!”

“He wasn't supposed to be, but he pulled a fast one,” she confesses, eyeing her husband who was now in full view of the camera, not looking as innocent as she wanted. Scheming bitch! She planned this!

“My baby girl is all grown up,” and his eyes are all teared up and he looks like he's only seconds away from waterworks. “It's hard to believe. Why, it feels like only yesterday that you were wrecking havoc on all the neighborhood boys and dragging muddy foot prints all the through the house with your bucket of frogs." He gives a nostalgic sigh. "...and now look at you...so grown up and mature. I'm so proud of you.”

“Stop!” she hisses, feeling emotional as well. “This is exactly why I told you he wasn't allowed to see me Ma! Daddy cries over everything!”

“Suck it up, gremlin child!” she snickers, but she's smiling.

“Ugh...”

“Has anyone asked you yet to the dance?” her Father wonders, just as the home phone rings in the background. Her mother smirks at her and then just LEAVES HER! To deal with her overly emotional father and all the questions she just KNOWS he's going to ask. This was fucking planned! She's 100% sure now! Her mom's a nosy bitch and the easiest way to get information is through her Father. She's weak against him!

Her Mum leaves the frame and heads to the kitchen a room away to answer the phone.

Ahhhh!

“Tch! I'm not going to the dance with any of the losers here!” she rasps, grabbing her desk chair and sitting herself down, crossing her arms and pouting. She knows she's not going to escape now.

“No? What about that sweet boy from your class? I believe his name was Shay...uh...Sato...um, oh! Shouto, yes, that's it...the boy with the two shades of hair.”

“Todoroki?! Why would you think I'd be going with him?!”

“Oh, are you two not dating?”

“DATING?!” she screeches, freaking the hell out, almost falling out of the chair, eyes transforming into deadly triangles as she lost it. “WHY DO YOU THINK WE'RE DATING?!”

Her father just blinks at her, “Angel, that boy called here every day during summer vacation to ask after you when you got home from the Hospital.”

“I...” and yeah, she guesses that was true. Todoroki had called basically the entire month she'd been at home recovering during their break. Sometimes she would entertain his calls, other times, she'd answer the phone and tell him to piss off. He'd sent her so many text messages during that time too, always with annoying cat emojis or stupid memes that he found funny. Some days, he'd just talk about his home-life and how much time he was spending with his mother. Sometimes, he'd just ask her how her day was going and wish her a goodnight. “So what?!”

“Well...” and now he looks a little abashed, charming grin on his face. “He sent flowers...”

“HE DID?!”

“Yes, your mother thought you might not like that, so she never told you and just put them in the living room...”

She starts to combust. 

“YOU MEAN ALL THOSE DAMM FLOWERS WERE FROM HIM? MOM TOLD ME THAT SHE GOT THEM FROM WORK!! THERE WAS LIKE EIGHT VASES FULL!”

“I thought it was sweet,” her Father drones all, with a sparkle in his eye, like he thought this all super romantic. Never mind the fact that she was literally bursting at the seams. But her Dad was used to her outbursts and didn't so much as bat an eye. “He was always so well spoken and polite when we would speak with him on the phone and--”

“YOU GUYS SPOKE WITH HIM ON THE PHONE?!” She shrieks. What the fuck was even happening?!

“Why yes, lots of times,” he says simply, thoughtfully. “When you were out of the house, he would chat with both of us for a little while.”

“I'm going to kill him!” she growls under her breath. Horrible, horrible death awaited him when she got her hands on him again.

“Don't be too hard on him Angel, I think he just cares about you.”

“HE'S DEAD! HE'S SO DEAD! HE'S DEADER THAN DEAD! EXTRA DEAD! THE DEADIEST THAT DEAD CAN BE!”

“Oh dear...” the older man hums, frowning at her through the screen as she ranted and raved under her breath.

“What happened?” her Mom gripes, coming back into the conversation a while later. She's arching an eyebrow and sighing as Bakugo continues to rant, ignoring them both completely, pacing her room.

“Apparently, she is not dating that Shouto boy like we thought...”

Her mom snorts, “PFFT! Yeah right! He's all she talked about during summer. My ass they aren't dating...”

“Maybe they are still in the first stages?”

Mitsuki smirks, “I'd bet more than that has happened. Based on her reaction.”

Katsuki whirls around, glaring hard into the camera, “I CAN STILL HEAR YOU, OLD HAG!”

“Good! So stop acting like a spazz and just admit that you like that kid.”

“I'M NOT ACTING LIKE A SPAZZ! YOU'RE A SPAZZ”

“Good one!” her mother mocks, laughing in her face.

It takes them some time, but they finally goad her into calming down enough to have a civil conversation. By the end of the call, they were praising her and making her promise to get lots of pictures taken in the dress in a few weeks. That if she needed anything, to give them a call any time and that they were looking forward to hearing from her soon. To make sure she remembered to enjoy herself at the hot springs when they went.

She grumbles and turns off the camera, disconnecting the call and slumping into her desk chair, arms crossed.

Why does talking to her parents always leave her feeling so emotionally drained?

She changes out of her dress and hangs the bag inside her closest, taking great care to be delicate. She throws on a baggy black and orange hoodie with a skull on the back and a pair of soft black leggings. In a mood to feel comfortable.

The Gala, Dance, Formal...whatever the fuck people were calling it, was a big Third Year shindig that U.A put on for the Hero and Support Courses. That would be happening the following weekend after their trip to the hot springs.

There, many different Heroes, Agencies and interested parties could all meet together and talk with the new up-and-coming graduates that would be fresh for picking at the end of the year in six months.

There, you could get an idea of who might be interested in you. Make connections and potentially create relationships with people you might end up working for. Sometimes students could even get job offers or might try to gain the attention of a certain Hero they'd be interested in working for.

All the big named parties would be there. Most of the Top 10 heroes of Japan. Including Endeavour and Hawks. Small scale Agencies and maybe even some out of country people too. Government and Police. There really was no telling who might show up to U.A's soiree.

It was literally the place, out of any other, where you had to make a good impression. This was your best chance to get an idea of where you stood with the outside world.

She would be on point for that entire night.

She's not really surprised that her Mom managed to pull another one of out her ass. But then again, she was an extremely well-known clothing designer and would be showcasing some of her work in the next Paris Fashion Week in the summer.

Her dress was everything she'd wanted it to be, without knowing it. It would serve her well when she finally got to wear it to the event.

There...was also the night she planned on speaking with Endeavour.

Thinking of the flame Hero immediately makes her remember that she was pissed as hell at Todoroki. That icy bastard! He'd spoken with her parents? Bought her flowers?!

How fucking long had he been planning all this shit?

Why does that thought make those damn butterflies flutter all dramatic in her stomach? She hates the butterflies. They suck and make her feel overly emotional.

Her and Todoroki...dating?

It's fucking weird. But...perfect at the same time. Isn't that where all this is heading anyway?

Her and him...dating. Dating came before a relationship, right? So, then in an essence, they were sorta dating.

Her nosey parents don't need to fucking know that, though! This shit was private! Between the two of them and if...if Todoroki wanted to date her, than it was no ones business but theirs!

If he wanted...

She purses her lips, a thought occurring to her that didn't really sit right with her.

Was that Todoroki's intentions? Was he wanting to be her boyfriend? ...or, was it just supposed to be all fun and games?

Did he have no intentions of asking her to be his date to the dance?

Ugh, thanks guys, she grumbles at her parents. She hadn't even thought of that. Him, asking her to the dance. But, now that it's come to her attention, she wants him to ask...wants to go with him, but at the same time doesn't. Wants him to ask, but not sure if she should say yes or no.

Was he just like all those other guys, just wanting to get in her pants? He may not even want to go with her.

She feels her chest clench painfully for a second before remembering that, other than a few kisses and a couple of hugs, Todoroki hadn't really made any moves on her. In fact, and she blushes to herself on this one, she had been the one jumping him.

So...really, the same shit could be said about her. Maybe she was just trying to get into his pants.

Well...actually, she'd already gotten to see what he's packin'...

Ugh.

“No, shut up!” she grumbles, cutting off thoughts of hot-as-hell Todoroki moaning himself hoarse as she sucked on his fat cock. That tall frame arched back in pleasure, tense and sweaty, his hero suit down to his thighs. He'd basically been naked! It had been so hot, she'd cum so many times that same night, alone in her bed, thinking of how amazing he had looked, cock red and juicy and thick.

She feels her mouth start to salivate and she jumps up from the chair, smacking herself in the head to get her lewd thoughts to shut the fuck up!

It's then she hears the 'knock knock' at her door.

She spins around, eyes wide.

'Meet me at my dorm in 1 hour...'  flashes through her mind and she is instantly panicking.

“Shit!”

“Bakugo?” 'knock knock' “It's Todoroki. From your class?”

She gapes at the door, her flustered state completely gone in seconds. “YES! I fucking know it's you, Icyhot!” she shouts, ploughing her way through the cardboard box sitting against her door and wrenching the damn thing open. She immediately glares, but he's just playing with her.

Todoroki is smirking and nodding in greeting, “obviously.” He then points to his watch. “One hour on the dot.”

She rolls her eyes, “yes, congrats on being a punctual loser.”

“I don't see how being on time for commitments makes me a loser. In fact—”

“Save it!” she's crossing her arms. Eyeing him suspiciously for a minute. Initially she'd been prepared to grill him, ask him why he'd been talking to her parents and sending her fucking flowers. But she's decided to keep that information to herself for the time being. Her Mom had been right, if she'd know about the flowers during summer, she would have freaked the hell out.

Instead, she'd been blindsided by charming wits and a bunch of Valentine cards that seemed more like tiny assassination attempts, her poor heart. But was super effective against her after months of Todoroki saturation. Gah! She blushes at her train of thought, why does she always get so fuzzy around him? “So we goin' or what?” she rasps, motioning towards the outside.

“Right this way,” he gestures, willing her to head out first after locking her door.

“This better not be stupid,” she tells him, as they walk towards the elevator. They get in and press the button to the common room, standing next to one another in the small space in front of the mirror, their reflections blurry on the metal.

“You think everything is stupid,” he muses, glancing down at her.

“Pftt, that's 'cause most things are.”

He says nothing as the elevator dings and they both head out and make their way outside.

He takes her around to the back of the Alliance building, signaling to stop directly in the center, so that only a forest of trees was visible to them.

“You want to eat here..?” she questions, arching an eyebrow. This had...not been what she'd been expecting. She'd thought maybe they would eat on the veranda or even find one of the many big trees on the U.A property. But behind the dorms? The hell?

“Not quite,” his lip is tilted and he saunters over, coming around her and placing his hot and cold hands over her eyes from behind, giving her a soft kiss to the back of her neck.

He hugs her close and she's frowning, “what are you doing?”

“Just go with it,” he drawls. “Keep steady now,” he hums and suddenly, they are jerking up, a small chimney of ice forming underneath them and taking them upwards.

The roof? Why the hell are we heading up here for?

“Todoroki,” she mutters, stumbling slightly and grabbing his forearms to keep her balance. She can hear the crackling ice, a side effect of his quirk, as he lifted them from the ground and she knows to keep very still as they ascend.

“I've got you.” He's giving her more kisses, laying silky, delicate lips over her neck and she's got instant goosebumps. She bites her bottom lip and feels her cheeks heat, his warmth making her relax.

He gently guides her forward when they reach the top, keeping his hands over her eyes as he melts the ice he'd created with his right foot. It takes only seconds and he's ushering her to move.

“If this is a prank or somethin'--”

“Nothing like that.”

They slowly make their way forward and she picks up soft music playing in the background. They stop and he's flush with her backside again, mouthing against her ear.

“Alright, you can look now...” and she can tell he's grinning, right pleased with himself. He releases her and takes a step back so she can inspect the area.

What greets her in the warm evening sun makes her heart go 'thump, thump, thump, thump'

She takes a startled step back and makes contact with Todoroki standing behind her.

Holy Shit!

It's a fucking picnic!

Her mouth drops open, her crimson eyes filtering around. There are blankets, three of them, piled together, clumpy but comfortable. A couple of pillows and a small radio off to the side, playing some popular radio station on low. He's tucked them away on the roof, in a small alcove extra hidden by the massive ventilation fans overhead, encased in a perfect metal square they could sit under.

There is also a goddamned picnic basket!

“Where the hell did you manage to get an actual wicker basket?” is all she can think to say. Her brain has packed up and taken a hike.

She feels like she's been shot with an arrow. Right through her fucking chest.

“Oh, Koda made that last year during the Arts Festival,” he says casually, removing himself from her and heading towards the damn nest of blankets and sitting down on them. He'd made a fucking nest for fuck sake! “He does good work. I was surprised how much room there was.”

Why the hell did it look so cosy?

Why was he such a jerk!?

She feels her flight or fight instincts kick in and all she hears in her head is 'ABORT ABORT ABORT'! She wants to blast away. But she's frozen.

She clenches her fists against her thighs and fights with herself.

Todoroki just tilts his head, frowning up at her, “Bakugo..? Is everything alright?”

It's so unfair...because he's just too much for her sometimes. He's only sitting there, looking suave and perfectly put together in his soft blue sweater and beige pants. The warm light of the setting sun making him glow and simmer.

“What..?” she's flustered now, stuttering out. “What the hell is all this?”

He arches an eyebrow, but she can tell by the small crease in his eyes that he's amused and humoring her. “It's a picnic dinner at sunset.” He then grins at her, “I thought that fairly obvious.”

She takes another step back and suddenly Todoroki is standing and coming closer to her, all in a blink. He doesn't give her a chance to run and by the time she gets her wits about her, he's already grabbing a hold of her hand.

“Now look whose grown cold feet...”

He calls her out, for she'd said the very same thing to him a couple days ago. It immediately makes her ego growl and rear up. She wasn't getting cold feet!

“You callin' me a coward, Icyhot!?” she rasps, irritated, but completely pulled out of the mini freak-out that she'd been having. “The hell you think yer talking too.”

She pushes away from him and strides towards the dumb picnic nest, to sullenly sit down and vehemently pretend that none of this mattered. That his sweet, ridiculous gesture wasn't getting to her in ways she couldn't explain.

Before she can get there though, Todoroki is roughly pulling her back and whirling her around.

She takes a breath to yell, but he's too quick and before she knows it, she's being pushed against one of the metal structures and kissed within an inch of her life.

He's caging her in and leaning down and pushing them flush together. Both hands tangled in her hair, tugging and griping and tilting her head to his wishes. He plunders her mouth, tongue slick and devilish against her own. Sliding inside her mouth and playing a dangerous game with her mind when they dance lewdly.

She immediately thinks of his tongue in other places and she can't help a soft moan from escaping her.

He hums a sound himself and literally sweeps her off her feet. Bends and hoists her up with a firm grip on the back of her thighs. Pulls her close and wraps her legs around him, all while they continued to kiss. Casually striding forward and sliding them into place on top of the comfy blankets.

All quick and smooth and easy.

They make-out against the setting sun for a while, clinging to one another as Todoroki hovers in-between her legs. She gets lost in him. Lets herself feel every caress of his hands, every deep and sensual pull of his lips. How he'd rock back, mere inches, to suck in sharp gasps of air before she's pulling him close again, kissing erratic and fierce and needy.

When they finally do part, they just breath against one another, both of them staring at the other. This quiet, flammable air between them that seemed to ignite at the smallest of sparks lately.

She hears Todoroki clear his throat, heady with a thickness that betrays him, that she's already too familiar with. “That's what I'm talking about...” he's soft and gentle when he says it.

He's giving her that dumb look again, the one filled with so many emotions.

“Tch,” she bites out, glancing away, a lazy flush to her cheeks, hair extra tousled from Todoroki's fingers running through it. She feels languid, boneless and warm and comfortable against the soft blankets and his solid weight over her.

She shimmies her way up, coming closer to his face and Todoroki sits them up, shoulder-to-shoulder. He fluffs the pillows behind both of them while Katsuki grabs the softest looking blanket and sets it over both of their crossed knees.

He's reaching across her to grab the picnic basket just as another low toned song starts to play in the background, so quiet she can barely hear who is singing. He's pulling the bulky thing across her and setting it up to his right, a little out of view so she cannot tell what he's got hidden inside the thing.

She's still trying to wrap her mind around all of this.

“You are...unusually quiet right now...” comes Todoroki's voice, as he nudges her in the shoulder to get her attention. He's begun pulling things from inside the basket, two small thermos and a couple of napkins to start. “In fact, it's kind of giving me the creeps.”

“You callin' me creepy?” but it's got no bite to it. She feels overwhelmed. There’s too much going on in her chest. Her mind is hazy and those flight instincts are starting to rear their head again. It's all good feelings...and she guesses that's the problem. There is too much of it. Boiling inside of her and wanting to burst out.

She realizes in this moment, sitting next to him like this, that...she'd be pretty upset if all of this wasn't going anywhere. All the signs point to them dating...but, then why does she feel this little niggle of doubt? Fear of rejection. Of not living up to expectations.

What if she did this and it turned out he'd just wanted some fun, how would she--

“ACK!” she then curses as she's aggressively pulled by her arms, into the spot between Todoroki's crossed legs. “What the fuck?! What's your deal?!”

“Stop looking so sad,” he mutters, pulling her close and nosing at her hair as her back rests against his warm chest. He pulls a blanket over them and then his lanky arms are circling her waist. “Have I done this wrong?” he questions and she can practically hear his frown, the small undercurrent of insecurity.

Maybe he's just as overwhelmed as she is?

Has he done this wrong...?! Her brain kind of splinters and shatters like glass.

God, no, he'd...he'd done everything right.

That was the fucking problem that her heart couldn't seem to recover from!

How was she supposed to deal with all of this and maintain any type of composure?

Why did it matter so much to her? That he went out of his way, with her in mind...again, just because he wanted to.

Effort.

It's the effort. The thoughtfulness and the fact that he even did it. How his gestures weren't hollow and were created with a personal touch that seemed tailor-made to make her weak in the knees.

“Don't be dumb...” she finally mutters, snuggling up to him, not caring anymore if she came off as too needy or revealed too much of herself. She wanted to feel close to him.

Things were changing between them now and she wants it more than she ever realized. Wants him to be her boyfriend. Wants to date him and be with him and fuck. Have conversations and drive each other crazy and curl up with him and fall asleep every night. She huffs out a sigh at her sappy thoughts, “I just...wasn't expecting all this.”

That was a massive understatement.

She hadn't been expecting any of what Todoroki had been doing lately. But here she was anyway, thoroughly ensnared. Figuratively and literally, if his arms wrapped around her, chin laying on top of her head was any indication.

“Are you freaking out?” he teases.

She scoffs, defensive, “no...”

“It's fine if you do,” he says and she rolls her eyes at his lame attempts to distract her. When had he gotten to know her so well? “But I thought you might like to eat something first...can you freak-out and eat at the same time?”

“Tch,” she slumps against him and eyes the basket to their right. “I'm dying to know what you threw in there.”

“As many good things as I could find.” He says happily.

“Oh god...I'm actually fucking scared...”

“Don't worry so much, I'm...fairly sure you'll enjoy everything I've picked.”

“I fucking doubt that! You suck at cooking!”

“Who said anything about cooking?”

She narrows her eyes at him, her head tilted up. He grins, leaning down to give her a soft kiss and then starts removing more items.

He pulls out a few containers, opening them up and letting her get a good look at all the sweet fruit he'd cut up. Strawberries, blueberries and some honeydew melon. He's removing two big sandwiches, filled to bursting with veggies and meat. She can smell the spices, makes her mouth water when she gets a good whiff of them. There are crackers too and even a small package of almonds and cashews. Bottle of water, his thermos of tea and a couple bottles of bubbly juice, in her favorite peach flavor.

“So...what do you think?” he asks against the back of her head, his face rubbing endlessly into her hair as he awaited her response. “Does it meet the Bakugo seal of approval?”

“It's...not fucking horrible...” she grumbles. Fuck! Fucking hell her heart is going to literally burst out of her chest and run the fuck away.

Why is he just...so goddamned sweet?! It's not right! It should be illegal.

She wants to murder him. Fuck him. Kiss him. Wants to make him hers.

They sit together and chow down, talking in-between bites and just generally enjoying each others company.

It's kind of insane, actually, how much she enjoys herself. She's a pretty introverted person and hates having to hang out and socialize with people for long periods of time. But, with him, it's different. Has always been different. He doesn't fill the comfortable silences with random shit...just casually goes with the flow and makes everything between them easy. He doesn't force her into conversation, but lets her set the pace, just generally seems to like having her with him.

“How's your Ma doin'?” she asks, after they spend a good twenty minutes just cuddling against one another, keeping quiet as the sun finally sets. “You had a good visit with her last weekend?”

“She's great, we got word that by the end of the year she'll be ready to move into the house.”

“That's like, gonna be a really big step...” she comments, knowing quite a lot about his childhood and the situation with his mother, from years of getting to know one another. “She nervous or whatever?”

“I think so...” and she feels him nod against the back of her head. “But, she's excited too. It'll be hard at first, she's lived in the institution for almost thirteen years...she doesn't really know any different. But, I have every confidence in her.”

“Yeah, she'll do great...especially with your siblings living there as well.”

“She's got permission to come to our graduation ceremony this year. I'm really looking forward to it.”

Katsuki feels herself frown, “and...that ain't gonna be a little weird, with your Dad there and stuff?”

“No, I don't believe so...” he sneaks an arm around her and grabs a couple of almonds from the package. “They've made amends. My parents actually spend a lot of time together now, since the divorce finalized. He comes to see her almost weekly, from what she's told me. I don't really know the specifics." He makes a face. "Apparently they've really bonded over their separation, if you can believe it."

She mulls that over, "strange to think that it took severing ties to finally bring peace back to your family."

Todoroki hums, nuzzling her hair. "I think Touya had a lot to do with that as well. In some twisted way, my older brother coming back from the dead and trying to murder us, was the catalyst for the progress that my family has made these past couple of years."

Bakugo frowns, playing with a few of Todoroki's fingers, "does she visit him? Dabi, I mean. In the asylum?"

She feels him shake his head. "No...only Father has clearance to visit with him right now. Government orders." He huffs a sigh. "She writes to him fairly often, but he never responds. That is probably for the best. From what Father has told me, he never really recovered from the damage he inflicted on himself during our final confrontation...and his face and body is fairly disfigured and burned now."

Bakugo can only imagine. During the War, Dabi had been out for murder. When the entire Todoroki family had confronted the villain, he'd made one last ditch attempt to end them all. The technique had been suicide, and would have taken out everyone in the immediate vicinity had Shouto not intervened. Dabi had gathered every bit of fire that he had inside his body, planning to detonate and unleash and fiery explosion of raw strength. A literal bomb of carnage and fire. Dabi had been ready to end it all, his own life, and the life of his families. But when Shouto had caught on to Dabi's intentions, he'd managed to hold his brother off with his Glacial Aegir technique, cooling him down and preserving what he could of his body, before it literally burned to death. 

It was no wonder that he was disfigured, after what he'd tried to pull.

Katsuki frowns, lips pursed when a terrible thought enters her brain. "Guess facial burns really do run in the family now. Like some weird ass tradition."

Todoroki laughs, unbothered, throwing a few almonds into his mouth and crunching on them. "Suppose so."

Bakugo snorts, shaking her head. "I'm sure Dabi loves seeing your Father all the time. I can't even imagine how those meetings go."

Shouto tuts. "Terse, silent and angsty, I would presume. Father never speaks to us about Touya, so I am unsure if he's made any progress with him." She feels him shift behind her, getting more comfortable as he takes a swig from his thermos of warm tea. "To be honest, I'm surprised he has held on this long. If the machines weren't working overtime to keep him alive, he would have passed away not long after he was captured."

Jesus. That sounds fucking awful. "So...he's just hooked up to machines all the time? His life hanging by a thread, awaiting to be cut? Fuck. That sounds like literal Hell."

Todoroki shrugs, running a cold hand through her hair. She can feel cool puffs of breath exhale across her cheek. "The doctors didn't think he'd last this long. Thought his body would deteriorate more quickly."

"What a stubborn fucker, refusing to die" she grips, aghast. "Do you think...I mean, how come they haven't taken him off life support themselves? Put him out of his misery?"

"Information, most likely," Todoroki muses. Katsuki notices that he doesn't sound very bothered. But she supposes that after everything that he has been put through over the years, that he has grown accustom to dealing with traumatic events and compartmentalizing the gory details. "He was Shigaraki's right hand man after all. I assume they are keeping him alive for information about the League."

"Sounds like one hell of a depressing existence."

Todoroki sighs, almost sad. "Yeah."

Katsuki turns in his embrace and runs a hand through his bangs, catching gazes. "...and how do you feel about all that, hah? All that shit is pretty messed up, if you ask me."

He shrugs, "I try not to dwell on the things that I cannot control."

"Yeah, but...it is still a lot to think about."

She hears Todoroki snort, his tone teasing, "well, my therapist says I am remarkably well adjusted, considering. So there is that." 

She barks out a laugh and hums when Todoroki smothers her noises with a deep kiss. Almost as if he is purposely trying to distract her from their topic of conversation. Maybe it really does make him uncomfortable. 

Katsuki huffs and fully twists in Icyhot's lap, adjusting herself so that her thighs are on either side of him and runs rough hands through his long hair. Pulling on it to deepen the kiss. 

They spend the next few minutes grinding against one another. Lost to the intensity of each other. The sun has finally fallen. The blue security lights and the darkness their only witnesses to their slow drawl.

Katsuki melts when Todoroki slips hot and cold fingers under her orange hoodie and runs them over her heated flesh. Pulling and gripping the soft contours of her back, before slithering down to her waist. He then slides them down to squeeze at her ass, needing the globes there. Paying special attention to her thighs. 

Goosebumps raise against her skin and she sighs heavily into his mouth, tongue lazily gliding across his lips and inside to connect with his own. There, she plays with him. Drawing different shapes, sucking on him and exploring his depths to her hearts content. 

He keeps making these sensual noises that drive her crazy. Makes her want to ramp up the temperature and takes things even further than they should in open pubic. 

Katsuki tries to keep things a little more than PG, and after some time, when their heated passions finally simmer down to a dull back-and-forth, do they separate. Exchanging slow, languid kisses, until they both lean back to calm down.

Bakugo runs her hands through soft bi-colored hair when the silence lingers for longer than a minute, gazing down at him from her position in his lap. "You know..." she whispers, bumping her forehead with his, tilting his head up so she can speak against his lips, "when you think about it, you and Dabi are almost parallels. Two sides of the same coin."

"Yeah," he husks, voice breathy from all their kissing and touching. "I've thought about that a lot over the years. How close I could have come to making the same decisions. How easy it would have been to walk the same path."

"But you didn't," she purrs, gazing into his mismatched eyes. She sees a bit of sorrow flash across his expression and hushes him with a finger to his lips. Staring him down to make sure that he is paying attention to her words. "You found your way. It may have been hard, and I know you've struggled a lot...but you're here...you made it."

"There were times where I thought I was only steps away from becoming something I never wanted to be." He confesses to her, in this quiet space between them that existed only here and now. "Where I thought my anger would consume me. I was terrified that one day, I wouldn't be able to hold it in. Some days, it took everything that I had to keep myself in check. To not become a monster."

She kisses him softly, crimson locked onto mismatched. "I never had any doubt about the kind of man you would become."

She can feel the gasp that he exhales against her lips, his eyes wide as her words sink in.

Katsuki can't help but grin, her fangs showing, "...and now look at you. You're a fucking force of nature. You've grown and become such an annoying menace to society. But in a good way. So fucking annoyingly earnest and dependable and strong..." She huffs out a laugh. "Way to be a lame ass goody-two-shoes...freakin' heroic bastard. Tch, like it's kind of ridiculous, just how infuriatingly perfect you are!"

She watches in satisfaction as his cheeks turn red, embarrassed and shocked at all her praise. He glances away, as if he cannot stand her being this close, listening to her truths.

"It's the truth!" She grumbles, flicking him in the forehead to grab his attention again. "You're better than him." She implores, her tone serious and forceful. "You forged your own path and never allowed your trauma to shape you into a monster. You are NOT a monster. You hear me, Icyhot?! You never could be."

"No," he hums, nodding. "I refused to allow my Father to turn me into something I'm not."

"Exactly."

Todoroki leans back, frowning, and then glances over her shoulder, staring off into the distance with a faraway look. "I don't even know him, Dabi...Touya..." He tilts his head and huffs out a small laugh. "I think that is why I don't have any strong feelings towards him, one way or the other. I was just a baby when he ran away." His hand clenches into a fist, some irritation shinning through. "I never had the chance to get to know him. Not in the way the others did. He is a stranger to me." His lips purse and he appears wistful, almost sad. "He will always just be a deranged serial killer to me. Not an older brother. Not a part of the family. Just...a stranger." He glances back towards her. "Just another unfortunate victim in the Todoroki legacy."

Katsuki's body moves without thinking and before she knows it, she's got Todoroki in a fierce hug. Pulling him as close as she can.

They sit in comfortable silence for a little while. Just reflecting back on all the had happened during First Year.

Even though time has healed most of their wounds, there were still days when memories, thoughts and feelings would crop up unexpectedly. Where you would get lost in time and remember all that had transpired. It was a shared trauma that they all carried with them each and every day. Some endured the burdens better than others, but being able to speak about it, to talk through it with someone who understood exactly what you were going through, was a blessing. 

Katsuki had come to understand that despite what she may say about her class, she would be lost without them. 

After a while, Bakugo slithers off of Todoroki, leaning back against the pillows beside him so they are shoulder-to-shoulder. They continue to pick away at the remaining food, nothing but a few berries and nuts are left. Icyhot had done good with this little impromptu picnic idea of his. 

Todoroki nudges her with his shoulder. "I apologize. It was not my intention to bring up such heavy topics tonight."

Katsuki shrugs, "technically I brought it up. When I asked about your Ma."

"Oh right. You said you'd talked to your mother today, how is she doing?”

Bakugo rolls her eyes, popping a berry into her mouth. “She's fine. Ugh, and annoying as all hell. But she's been good." She grabs the bottle of water, turns the cap and takes a swig of the liquid. "I tried on a dress that she made me, for the uh...” and she feels a lump in her throat, her earlier insecurities coming back to her, "...the stupid dance in a couple of weeks.” She glances away, trying not to give herself away. “So, she wanted to see if it fit and everything.”

“That's right,” he muses against her. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Is it true that she is a big time fashion designer?”

“Yeah, she's got a show in Paris this year.”

“What's your Father do?”

“He works in the fashion industry too. He used to work behind the scenes on marketing and development. But, he recently transitioned into getting my Mom's company off the ground so she could start making her mark.” She frowns and tries to put more words to it. “He's like, her manager or something...but, really, he's just super intuitive on what markets to hit at what time. Who to talk to and get a foot in the door for meetings. Has big connections and can sweat talk a lot of people. Stuff like that.”

“So they met working?”

“Yup,” she snickers, “apparently when my Ma first met my Pops it was love at first sight. She saw him and had to have him and wouldn't take no for an answer." She starts to cackle. "Which is kind of sexual harassment, if you ask me! But like, secretly my Pops was over the moon about her attention. They are gross. Sooo gross. Downbad and in love! Like all the fucking time, I can't stand it some days." She shivers in disgust. "I'm glad they are happy and everything, but like gah...my Dad's kinda a freak and I've overheard them way too many times to count while they fuck.”

“What?!” Todoroki gasps, and starts to laugh. "No..."

“It's true! Don't tell me you never overheard Endeavour?”

They both snap gazes to one another, eyes wide at the ensuring, horrified silence after her question. 

“I...” he's thinking, hesitating. “No, now that I think about it...I've never seen or heard my Father intimate on any level, with anyone.”

“Uhh..? Wait! I don't...I don't think I want to know! Like, at all!"

"Ditto."

She jumps in her seat and twirls around, "did you just say ditto?!"

He nods, "Ochako taught me that it means "same" or that you agree with someone. Did I say it wrong?"

"Fuckin' lame ass dork!"

He frowns, pouting. "I thought I had been upgraded to nerd?"

"Downgraded now, loser! Kukuku"

He snorts. “I'll take what I can get."

"Tch," she scoffs, "yeah...no one wants to talk about their parents getting freaky in the bedroom. Besides, the next time I speak with Endeavour will be at the Formal and I actually want to be able to look the bastard in the eye when I do."

He makes a sound. "Ah, so you have decided to accept his offer?"

She eyes him, "I have decided to discuss his offer."

Discuss, because she had some very important things she needed to float by him, before she could reasonably accept an offer to his Agency. 

Todoroki smirks, "good. I would expect nothing less." Icyhot then straightens up, glancing at her nervously. “Speaking of the Formal though...” he mutters and she freezes in place.

'Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!'

Oh god! Was it happening? Oh god, oh god, oh GOD!

He leans to their right and reaches into the picnic basket. Fishing out a small glass mason jar, only the size of a baseball. Decorated with a small ribbon, full to the brim with orange, black and green jelly beans. Valentine card dangling from a small glittery string.

“For you...” he hums, handing it over.

“...” she inspects the treat, noting how silly and delicate it was, but feeling her chest grow warm. It was so...cute. Petite and simple, but made her feel so much.

He's trying to kill me...

She notices the card and flips the pink heart over, so she can read the words on the back. It's the same handwriting that it always is. But this time, she's not reading the words alone, but right in front of him, while he studied her.

'Come to the Formal with me?'

She gawks at the Valentine, her eyes snapping to his mismatched gaze and he's lazily grinning at her, obviously enjoying her reaction. She glances back down at the jelly beans, then at the card and back around to him, still gaping with her mouth open.

He chuckles and leans down, giving her mouth a small wet peck, a quick nibble on her bottom lip. He moves back and admires her flush, but she can't help but to turn in his embrace, facing him now to wrap her arms around his neck. The stupid jar of jelly beans jiggles at her movement, but she ignores it, so she can bring him in for an intense and filthy kiss.

When they finally pull away after a few minutes of heated make-out, he's giving her a small smile, crooked and slight, but very real and her heart just leaps.

He tucks a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. “I'm assuming that's a yes?”

“That's what I fucking said, isn't it?”

He laughs. “Actually...you never said anything...”

“You know what I meant!” she growls.

He stares at her fondly, tilting his head. “Yeah, I think I do...”

His smile is even bigger this time and she finally melts completely into a puddle of goo. Staying that way for the rest of the evening in his warm embrace.

By the time they touch down on the grass after vacating the roof of the building, it's hours later.

The sun had already set a while ago and even though the day had been warm, it was almost the middle of March and the nighttime was still clinging to the cold. Both of them shivering as a soft gust of wind blew past them.

Todoroki transports the blankets and pillows in his hands and she's left to balance on the descending ice with the radio and picnic basket. Jelly bean jar sitting snug inside her hoodie pocket. It's a wobbly affair, but they both manage.

They are quiet once they settle onto the ground, both staring, waiting for the other to speak first. It's a little awkward, as if they don't really know what to say in lue of the last few, intimate hours. They'd spent them just talking, eating and laughing. Endless conversation flowing between them, while they shared small kisses, snuggles and banter.

So, it's kind of weird that neither of them can think of anything to say in the ensuing silence.

She huffs out a sound, “Todoroki I--”

“Spend the night with me,” he blurts out, taking a step towards her, his hands still full of the linen. She notices he's blushing, the redness of his cheeks more noticeable on his pale features. She just wants to eat him up. “Er...what I mean to say is... we don't have class tomorrow since we start our mid-break and...”

“Okay,” she rasps out, almost like a choke. Fuck ya she's spending the night. It wasn't even a question. “But lets sneak in through your balcony, I don't want no one askin' questions.”

“Right...” His shocked expression is gratifying. She pretends she doesn't see it, doesn't preen under his intense scrutiny as his eyes followed her. She's making for his side of the building, already knowing where his balcony is from stalking him a couple nights ago.

She doesn't hear his steps behind her, so she glances over her shoulder and notices that he's still a ways behind her.

“Todoroki!” she yells and he immediately perks up. “Get your ass over here! Let's go!”

He's quick to scurry after her.

When they finally make it safely and unseen back to his dorm through the balcony, she spends a good few minutes glancing around at the Traditional Japanese décor of his room. The soft colors and tatami flooring. They both remove their shoes upon entry and leave them in a small area inside by the door.

He tells her to make herself comfortable as he lays the blankets and pillows upon his desk. Bakugo sets the picnic basket and radio on the floor next to them as Todoroki then heads over to a hidden area to grab an extremely large futon. Almost twice the size of her bed.

He gets them all set up with a movie on his new laptop and it's not until she's freshening up in his bathroom twenty minutes later that she realizes she's got nothing to sleep in.

Not really wanting to sleep in her hoodie and sports bra, she sighs when she realizes that...she's going to have to go down to her room and grab something. Which means risking getting caught or someone seeing her skulking around the boys side of the dorms at night.

She's frowning when she gets back to Todoroki's room and he eyes her from the futon, arching an eyebrow. He's already changed into a white t-shirt and soft black sweats. “Something wrong?”

“I don't...have anything to sleep in,” she grumbles. “Uggh, I'm gonna hafta go to my dorm for a second...I'll be right back...” she's already heading towards the door when he grabs her attention by getting back out of bed to stand.

“Wait, you can borrow something of mine, just a moment...” he heads to the closet and rustles through his belongings. She tries not to let her face bleed red when he turns after a minute and gives her one of his soft blue silky button downs. It's long enough that it would cover her just to mid-thigh and she wonders if she's been given it on purpose. Todoroki testing his luck and seeing how far he could get.

Considering she's already agreed to spend the night, she'd say he's already gotten pretty far already.

Asshole!

Fucking opportunistic bastard!

She's the one whose supposed to be bringing the heat. She blames Todoroki's sneak attack picnic dinner and asking her to the dance with his dumb jelly beans on why she was acting like a blushing schoolgirl. But, she refuses to back down, snatching the shirt with a heated “whatever,” and heading back to the bathroom to put it on.

She folds her stuff as she takes it off, leggings, hoodie and her bra and socks. She's gonna make damn sure he regrets giving her such a skimpy thing to wear. He's not fooling anyone. But she likes it. Wants to exploit it and make him pay big time. She shimmies the silky dress shirt over her naked shoulders and does the buttons up from the bottom until the last two, leaving a bit of an eyeful. The fabric is cool against her skin and when she looks in the mirror, her hard nipples are glaring and obvious through the shirt.

She grins and just goes bare below, save for the cute white panties she'd thrown on earlier on a whim, feeling a little ambitious and girly after trying on her Mom's killer dress. She lets the material hang loose mid-thigh, showing off her tanned and toned hairless legs. When she glances in the mirror, she smirks to herself, tousling her ash-blonde curls.

I'd fuck me...

She feels confident and evil, hoping she gets to witness a reaction from him. Hell, after all their making out and grinding this evening, she is feeling pretty randy herself. Wouldn't mind getting up close and personal with him once again. Especially since they've been afforded this perfect opportunity. 

She turns the knob for the bathroom and shoulders the door open. Or at least she tries to. But there is a tall frame and strong hands grabbing at her suddenly and her instincts react.

She rushes him, knocking him in the chest with her shoulder and when he stumbles back, she rolls them. Throwing him to the tatami as they somersault. She scurries on top of his prone form, his eyes are wide and she's panting above him, straddling over his stomach. “Don't fucking sneak up on me like that!” she rages. Even though, not even a few days ago...she'd done the exact same thing to him!

Guess he wanted a little payback!

Hmph! Fuckin' copycat!

But he's not even listening, she gets a look at his dark expression as he stares at her, and her heart starts to race even faster. Feeling like prey all of a sudden.

He's pushing her off of him, manhandling her into his arms and throwing her onto the futon, crawling in after her with a crazed look in his eye.

"The fuck, Icyhot?!"

She's panting as she tries to squirm up the futon, pretending she wants to get away. But he's aggressive or possessed! He snarls out a sound that had heat pooling between her legs and harshly pulls her back to him across the linen. He snakes one of his big toned legs in between her thighs and slides up close to her center.

She gasps out, eyes going wide for a second, but Icyhot's just caging her in. His body curving against her and she feels wild with lust. All their teasing and playfulness earlier. All the flirting and his soft touches. It makes her yearn for him. Ache and throb and suddenly, she wants him now now now!

God, what has gotten into him?

“Fuck yeah...” she groans, purposely arching her body under him, wanting to entice him even more.

She wants him to loose it. Wants him to be so far-gone that he just lets himself go and gives up that perfect control. Wants to be on the receiving end of that when it does happen.

“Letting you wear that was a severe miscalculation on my part,” he confesses, voice husky and low and it sends shivers down her spine, makes her arch her sex against his smooth leg. “You look...”

She can't help but snicker, wrapping her hands up in his bi-colored hair and pulling the strands, “what happened to the damn movie, hah?”

“Mmm, you're stunning, I just want to eat you up,” he hums, completely ignoring her question. She's panting out a breath and pulling at the strands of his hair again. He mutters out a low sound and quickly grabs her hands, pinning them to the bed over her head and rolling his leg up against her again.

“Shit!” she hisses, when she struggles in his hold. Twisting and turning to try and break free, only to throw her head back in frustration when she cannot make him budge. “God, you're a bastard!”

“I think you like that about me...” he growls low, before attacking her mouth, leaving a withering, panting mess behind as he devours her lips. She's arching against him, her body subconsciously thrusting up against his thigh as he moans in her mouth from her enthusiastic reaction. The friction is delicious and she's a whimpering, a mewling mess against his lips as her center rubs against him just right.

He's so fucking sexy. His hair is a tousled mess and his face is red, lips swollen raw. But his eyes, they are heated and hot and he pulls back from her, staring down at her intently, gaze roving over her exposed bottom half. The shirt doing nothing to hide her damp white panties as they stretch around her spread legs.

Damp and wet for him. So so so fucking wet it's damn embarrassing.

God, does she ever want him!

Fuck me up, Todoroki! Show me that fire!

“Mppph,” she groans, feeling so fucking frustrated. She just wants him to mess her up! NOW! Since that day she'd sucked his cock. She's felt desperate for him. But all she'd gotten was two days of teasing bullshit. She's raring to go and wants him right the hell now. “Fucking touch me, asshole! I want it!”

He makes a harried sound and then lunges for her again. This time, his movements aggressive and jerky as he pulls her farther up the futon. She's spread out before him on the bed, gasping for air, silky shirt ruffled and heaving from her inhales. He legs feel useless, arms still laying over her head under a pillow.

She's just trying to catch her breath when one of his fingers slides playfully over the damp swell of her panties. Tracing down to the shape of her moist lips and sensitive core through the fabric.

Her brain short circuits and she jerks up. Sucking in a ragged breath, not having been expecting that, even though she'd asked him for it.

He makes another low sound and bends down, nuzzling at her shirt and pushing the fabric up past her toned tummy. She fucking freezes in shock, her crimson eyes narrowed down at the top of his head with a furious blush across her cheeks.

Oh fuck...oh fuck! Fuck!

“You're so beautiful,” he whispers reverently against her stomach, his desire for her coming across loud and clear. Sucking kisses and bruises into her skin, making her squirm. “I want to taste you all over...” he moans, like he cannot help himself.

“Gah!” she bites out, feeling so much tension inside her body.

She wants it! Wants him there. Wants his mouth there! So bad that it physically hurts. She throbs with it. Her legs shaking. But...there is also anxiety too. She doesn't fucking know why, but it's there. Why does she feel this way when she thinks about that?! She wants him to do it, dammnit! Wants to feel his mouth take her apart in the most intimate of ways...but...

His right hand trails up, seductively undoing the buttons on her shirt, starting with the bottom. He kisses each patch of skin revealed and just as he reaches the last button, that will reveal the swell of her naked breasts to him, she's pushing his hands away shakily, needing to gain some kind of control of the situation.

“...hmm?”

“I told you, Todoroki...” she rasps, her voice husky and wrecked. She manages to give him a smirk when he looks up, trying to hide her fear, her insecurities in the face of his confidence. “You don't get to touch those yet...remember? Not until you've earned it...”

“Bakugo...why!?” he groans, tone pained and aroused at the same time. She takes the win for what it is, but she underestimates him big time. He growls out a “fine!” and then he's quickly mouthing down her stomach again, his eyes dark and clouded with lust. Hazy with intent. Griping her thighs and pushing her legs even further apart to settle between them.

Her face might as well burst, because she must be sooo red in the face right now. Holy fucking god!

She's shaking to keep her composure, but she makes a startled cry of desire when she feels his mouth reach the soft fabric of her underwear and nuzzle his way down. His hard nose rubbing against her sex, making her spazz out and buck upwards. Throwing him off of her as she scurried as far up the futon as she could. Crimson eyes wide and out of control, expression shocked as she curled into herself.

“I...I...I...” she stutters, all those feelings of anxiety rearing up and make her feel overwhelmed. “Shit!”

Ahhh! Why is this such a problem for her!?

She glances away, shame and embarrassment making her feel crappy. He appears confused, which, yeah, obviously! This was a very mixed signals kind of situation.

“Do you not want--”

“I want!” she bleats out desperately, her eyes chaotic. She's quickly getting to her knees and shuffling towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. He looks lost and she hates it. It overrides all her other instincts. She doesn't want to make him feel that way. “I want that! Fuck, do I ever... I just...haven't done it before and it makes me feel weird. It's stupid! I hate that I feel that way!”

“Ah...” he purrs, and she feels the tension drain away from him and it feels like instant relief when he sinks back into her. No longer confused. Just acceptance and an ability to adapt to the change in program. “Bakugo...” he hums in her embrace. His tone is low but dangerous again and it's like a moth to a flame, because she can't resist him when his voice obtained that edge to it. She pulls her face back from his neck, both of them connecting gazes and he gives her a lazy smirk. “I'm going to finger you until you cum then,” he finally tells her.

"Ehh?!" 

He pushes her back into all the blankets with the smoothest moves she's seen to date. She feels most of her insecurities flutter away once he's curling into her, giving her languid kisses and sucking small marks into her neck, to relax and calm her down. He's not between her legs anymore, but laying next to her. His left side in the sheets, while his right side hovered over her.

He mouths his way up her neck to her ear at the same time his hand is trailing cold fingers up her leg, palm eventually finding her sex again and cupping her.

She whistles out a breath, closing her eyes when she feels his lips trace behind her ear. “When I finally do get my mouth on you,” he murmurs in a tone laced with desire, and it curls up her spine and makes her slit weep. "Whether it's those tempting nipples or your delicious cunt, I'm going to make you cum so much that you'll never think to deny me the liberties again.”

He's slipping his hand inside her panties from the top of the lace and shoving two fingers into her, without question. She's so wet and easy that the slide in is effortless and she's arching against the bed with a sudden cry of his name.

“That's it, let me have you, beautiful...”

“Fucking, fuck me!” she yells, getting lost to it. Desperate and horny.

He's only too happy to oblige her.

He doesn't take it easy. Doesn't sink her into it. Just rams his fingers inside of her with steady precision. She's bucking wildly and letting herself go. Not caring how she looked or what sounds she might make. Wanting this for so long a time now, that she cannot even begin to shield her reactions to him.

He's making soft noises as well, kissing her face and then her lips. The steady pound of his fingers has wet noises permeating the air and it's fucking good. He's so good right now, that she's a panting, mewling mess in the face of it.

He's fucking her so hard that she's bobbing on the bed, squirming and twisting so much that the last button on her shirt comes undone from the strain and her ample breasts are bursting out.

They bounce up and down from the movement and Todoroki is groaning lewdly, his eyes now glued to her hard nipples. Licking his lips like he really wants a taste.

“No touching,” she rasps, breathless. She's twisting her hips and it makes her back arch, so her tits look bigger and more tempting. He whines under his breath and she decides to start playing with them herself. Flicking at her own nipples, back arched as she moaned and whimpered for him, his fingers still thrusting inside her. His cold thumb slides up and he's rubbing aggressively at her clit now too as he fucks her inside her panties.

“Yeah, yeah!...just like that...ahh...”

He moans again at her noises and she tenses up, the sound spiraling straight down to her core, “god, I want to put my mouth on you, Bakugo...”

“Yes! Yes! Keep going!” She gives up on her boobs and grasps the pillow above her. She's out of control, so close to the edge that she's just pure need and instinct at this point. His words are filthy. But then, she'd already known that about him, thanks to his raunchy Valentine cards.

It's another thing entirely to hear it straight from the source though and it's steadily pushing her closer and closer to the end. He's got a dirty fucking mouth and she's is so weak to it.

"You're so wet down here I can taste it...”

She's trembling, “stop talking!” she growls, shivering and tense. “Ooooh,” she moans deep, not able to help it, grasping at the sheets and withering on his fingers. It's so fucking juicy down there that there is barely any friction anymore. Just a steady throb of pleasure that she knows is going to lead to a overwhelming orgasm. “Fuck, fuck...” she pants.

He increases his thumb to a colder temperature and it hits her so hard through the numbness that she's jerking into his hand with another cry of desire. Thrusting against him feverishly now, chasing her end. Whimpering and gasping, loosing control on herself.

“That's it, let me hear you, want to see you cum for me...”

“Todoroki,” she sobs, feeling emotional and so close. She's almost there, clinging for life against the sheets and waiting with baited breath to finally fall headfirst over the edge.

Just like she's kind of already fallen headfirst over him...

God she's gonna cum!

She gasps and gasps and finally, she's drowning.

Sightless and effortless, shattering and shaking raw.

They never do end up watching that movie.

She doesn't get the chance to return the favor until the next morning either.

She passes out not long after he's cuddled back up to her once she'd gotten her breathing under control.

She sucks him off again in the dewy morning sunlight, watching his twisted moaning expressions raptly as she sucks him long and slow. All lethargic and devastating when he finally cums on her tongue. They laze about in bed until noontime, running hands across any skin they could reach and just enjoying their time together.

When they finally do break, to grab some lunch, she says she'll meet him downstairs, wanting to get cleaned up and changed into something new. He gives her the longest, deepest kiss ever. One that she feels deep in her bones, in her soul, that tells her her insecurities about this being a game or something, weren't warranted at all.

“See you soon,” he whispers, like he's love sick and she can't help but feel the same. As if neither of them wanted to be apart right now. She would be seeing him in twenty freaking minutes. She doesn’t know why they are acting like idiots!?

But if she's smiling all the way to her dorm...well, anyone who catches a glimpse will get a knuckle fucking sandwich!

She's yawning to herself as she strolls lazily down her dorm hallway, scratching at her stomach and blinking sleepily.

She just unlocks her door when Mina's dorm opens from down the hall. The pink girl bubbly and full of spunk, headphones in and ready to start her afternoon with a jog.

They both stop short and stare at each other.

“What?!” she glowers. She probably looks like a mess right now.

Fuck, Mina is not going to let this one go.

Mina gives her a smirk, “so where were you last night?”

“What the hell do you mean?” she asks, playing dumb.

“I mean, I went by your room yesterday evening to see your dress and you weren't there...” she's then bounding over to her, grinning at her when she gets up close and in her personal space. “I checked in a couple times throughout the night and this morning, and nothing...you weren't even at dinner...but then, neither was Todoroki...who was oddly absent last night as well...hmmm, curious and curiouser...”

“Tch, whatever, mind your own business.”

She giggles and grins at her, ruffling her messy blonde hair. “Looks like you got something good last night. How was Todoroki?” she snickers, her eyebrows moving.

“MINA! Shut the fuck up!” she snarls. She slams open her door, trying not to grin at her friends constant chatter, asking her a bunch of questions about what had happened, following her inside her dorm.

“Bakugo! You gotta tell me everything...everything!”

“Goddamn would you stop!”

“TELLLL MEEEE!”

“Stop squealing and I will!”

“EIIIIIIIIII!! I can't believe it's finally happening!”

“Ugh...”

She ends up telling her everything, finally, and oddly enough, she doesn't regret spilling her secret at all.

After she swears her to secrecy of course, with a side of angry glares and death threats. 

But, Mina's used to that.

...and if she is smiling and giggling with her best friend while regaling all that has happened over a short period of time...?

Well, no one but Mina has to know. 

Chapter Text

The next few days fly by quick. 

They are only a couple of days into their week long break from studies, when Katsuki is once against stuffed onto an enormous bus with all her classmates and heading towards the Hot Springs for a 3 day vacation.

About half-way through their drive to the resort, Bakugo gets a serious of text messages on her phone.

Mina to Bakugo: sooo...you gonna invite Todoroki to stay in your cabin? -wink face-

Mina to Bakugo: heheheh, god, I just want to tell everyone. This is the biggest thing to happen since last years Sports Festival. Ahh! I need to talk to someone about this.

Mina to Bakugo: Ohh, I wonder if he's got something up his sleeve, he could have something romantic planned! Eiiiiii! I can't believe this! Well, I can...but can't at the same time!

Bakugo reads over the messages after the damn thing stops vibrating in her pocket and jerks in her front row seat, head turning to glare at a smirking Mina over her shoulder, sitting further down the bus with Ei.

Bakugo to Mina: fucking stop! I'm never telling you anything ever again!

Mina to Bakugo: awh! Don't be like that T_T ...this is just, big news. I can't believe you and Todoroki are hooking up! It's been like, forever and a half.

Oh my god, what the hell have I done? Why did I tell her anything?!

She decides to ignore her...or tries to at least. She refuses to read the next series of text messages that she feels vibrate in her hand. Instead, she sinks down in her seat with a frown on her face and pretends that All Might, who is in the seat across from hers, isn't giving her a concerned, wobbly smile.

She's feeling a little hostile...and apparently he can feel it or something, because he won't stop staring at her.

He's not even a teacher at the school anymore, not since First Year and after the War. He is officially retired now. But he somehow still weasels his way into classes with them during the school year and school trips anyways. She thinks the school knows about it, but turns a bit of a blind eye. She knows it's because of Deku that he keeps close. Aizawa, too, has caught on and doesn't reprimand him anymore, just accepts his presence with an eyeroll every time he sneaks into their plans. 

She crosses her arms over her chest and leans her head against the cold bus window.

She should be fucking thrilled about their trip. They always have a good time when they went during other class trips. But, today? She is feeling irritated, unable to shake her bad mood, even though she's not...100% sure at what has caused it.

She and Todoroki had spent the night together a few days ago and she had woken up the next morning, feeling fantastic and happy. Even though she'd had to spill her guts to Mina about him, she'd been walking tall.

Bakugo had made short conversation with her pink friend the other day, eager to get downstairs to meet back up with Half-n-Half.

Only for her entire evening to be derailed when Todoroki, just...started acting all fucking weird and shit!

He'd been...reserved...and quiet and...like, acting fucking unsure of himself.

Which...what the hell? 

It threw her for a loop, because hah? They spend this great night together! An amazing night, truly. She still blushes when she thinks about all that transpired during that evening. His little picnic dinner date. His jellybean candygram. Asking her to the Formal. Spilling his guts and baring his heart to her about his fears and his family. Then, everything that had come after. Even the next morning had been great. Lots of giggles and shy smiles. Separating for only a little while and agreeing to meet back up for lunch.

Things had been going swimmingly!

She'd only been gone thirty minutes max! Distracted by Mina and her need for juicy gossip. But, when she'd gone downstairs to the kitchen, she'd found Todoroki frowning. 

He'd spent the rest of the day brooding. Later, he'd wandered off after they had a nice lunch together in the kitchen and she doesn't see him again for days.

She gets radio silence from him for the rest of the week and when he'd gotten on the bus this morning, he'd walked right past her to a seat in the back, without so much as a 'good morning' or a nod.

Mina's texts just piss her off even more, because YEAH! She had been thinking about sneaking Todoroki into her cabin since she'd been told she'd won that stupid challenge. But now?! With all this bullshit, she feels sour.

What the hell is his problem?

A bitter, ugly part of her laughs and tells her that he's having seconds thoughts. That the other night hadn't been what she'd thought and Todoroki was regretting it or something.

The other, more confident part of her screams in that bitches face and tells her that if Todoroki was regretting everything now ...then...well, he could just go jump off a cliff and die.

She puffs out a breath and glares at the scenery passing them by.

Whatever, it's whatever...

When they do, finally, get to the Hot Springs, most of them aren't expecting such lavish accommodations.

They'd had to drive the bus almost four hours to get here. All cramped together on the travel bus that had been brought in to transport them and all their belongings. Then, when they had finally thought they were close, they had to traverse another thirty minutes through a dirt road in the woods just to even get up here.

The resort was extremely secluded and out of the way. It was so far outside of any city that there was an eerie silent air about the place when you first stepped out of their fancy travel bus. One that wasn't filled up with the sounds of day-to-day life, living in a metropolis.

They had all been to a Hot Springs before, but those had been low end and modest in nature. Small, with not a lot of square footage. Here though, it was huge.

Springs upon springs, in small and large pockets, ran through the majority of the property. Pools of water encased in natural rock formations in clumpy landscapes that overlooked cliffs. Some pockets were hidden by trees, others, were right out in the open, next to all the many cabins that were built around the resort. Trees and flower beds and vines of all shapes and sizes cascaded overhead and shielded them from the sun.

It was a rather beautiful, magical landscape to take in.

Apparently U.A had spared no expense when booking their trip.

“Wow, this place is amazing!” Mina jumps and claps her hands in place right next to her. Saddling up to Bakugo once she'd gotten off the bus. Both of them waiting for their turns to grab their bags and suitcases. “Eiiii! I can't wait to just chill out and freakin' relax for a change! Get some tunes going, throw on my bikini and enjoy the springs. Ahh! It's gonna be great!”

“Heck ya!” Kirishima grins, coming up to them and putting his arms around both of their shoulders. “Especially since internships start back up soon. There won't be any time for relaxation after that! So get it while the getting is good!”

A bunch of their classmates cheer in agreement, before Aizawa draws their attention.

“Listen up everyone! I'm only going to say this once, so pay close attention,” he commands. Once he sees that all of his charges are watching him intently, does he begin to speak again. “We'll be staying at this resort for the next three days. In that time, there will be no staff around to clean up after you or cook your meals, so make sure that you keep that in mind and don't trash the place. There is plenty of food stocked in the main cabin and kitchen for all of us, so feel free to indulge as you see fit.”

He then points behind him, “this is the main cabin, as well as where the washing facilities and eating areas are. You may watch television in there or enjoy some reading material if you haven't brought any. Behind the main cabin is the biggest springs on the property. It's been fashioned as more of a pool and tourist attraction. But this particular springs, as you can see, expands extremely far over the landscape. So you'll find lots of different areas around the property that have little water pockets that you may use.“

Aizawa is then pointing down to all the different trails with small wooden signs on the ground and unlit solar-powered lanterns decorating the cobblestone pathways heading down through groups of trees. “There are seven other cabins here. One is for myself and one is for both All Might and Present Mic collectively. There are three cabins for the winners of the Ground Beta challenge earlier this week. The last two are family sized cabins for whoever is left.”

He is then pointing at her and gestures to another trail, “Bakugo, since you won first place, the executive cabin is down this path here, I've marked it on your map.” She glances down at the paper and arches an eyebrow, it looks like it was a fair distance from the main cabin. “As for the rest of you, you are all basically adults, figure out your sleeping arrangements with other classmates as you see fit. If you wish to tent on the property instead, fine, but keep your fires contained and clean up after yourselves. I trust I don't need to babysit you on this matter?”

The rest of the class shake their heads 'no'  and he nods. “Good! Next! There are hiking trails and even a beach, though I don't encourage you to swim in the middle of March. You'll see their locations marked on your maps. There are also caves and other such areas that you may be interested in exploring. Even some recreational areas, with volley ball nets and some fishing materials. Make use of your quirks here to scale terrain, but keep them contained and don't cause any fires or undue damage. I expect for us to leave everything as it is now when the trip is over.”

More nodding.

“Lastly! Enjoy yourselves,” and everyone kind of gives him a wild look. Aizawa is not usually so lenient on them. “This will be the last trip you take together as a class before graduation,” and wow...that's...a weird thing to think about. “Us teachers are here more as a safe guard than an interference tool this go around. Have fun. Abide by the rules and we will stay out of your hair. Got it?”

Everyone is staring and quiet and not sure if they could or should speak or move.

Present Mic takes one look at them and activates his quirk, “so in other words...LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARRRRRRRTEEEEEED!!!!!!!!”

The entire encampment goes crazy. Everyone running in all directions to get themselves settled in.

Aizawa, completely used to this chaos after almost three years, merely blinks and shuffles his pack over his shoulder, his yellow sleeping bag attached, and slinks through the trees and away.

Bakugo grabs her stuff and eyes the map, carefully picking out the proper trail that would take her to her cabin. Just as she turns to go, she feels a presence come up behind her.

“We're having a bonfire down at the beach tonight around 6:00 PM if you wanna meet up,” Mina says to her, giving her a smile and shuffling her gear in her hands. “Ida and Momo offered to make BBQ, so we're just gonna eat there too. There will be tunes, lots of games to play, and as much food as you can handle, Wooo! So, don't run and hide in your nice executive cabin, okay Blasty!? Come and hang out before...ya know..?” and then she's winking and wiggling her eyebrows. Side-eyeing Todoroki, who is in conversation with Sweet Cheeks and Deku off to the side of the bus, probably making a game plan too.

“Shut the hell up, Mina,” she gripes, glancing at Kirishima standing a little out of earshot. Who is just tilting his head at her like some dog! She's then leaning in and whispering harshly, “you tell anyone and--”

“I won't tell anyone! You know I wont,” and she is leaning in and giving her a small kiss on the head, giggling as Katsuki rolls her eyes. Bakugo sighs at the affection, but she lets the girl do as she pleases. “But...I gotta say, if you think no one else has noticed what is going on between you both, you're wrong. Todoroki has not been subtle at all...he's such a cutie, Kat. He's freakin' adorable! Soooo...I wouldn't be surprised if others in our class have noticed what's up.”

“He's not cute---he's! Why the hell are you even looking at him like that?”

“Girl!” and she's laughing at her and shoving her in the shoulder. “I've been checking that guy out since the moment I met him. He's a gem.”

“The fuck, Mina!?”

“It's true! He's a damn 10 out of 10! Total Knock-Out. Meow! Weee!”

Bakugo feels her nostrils flare and she stomps her foot, “you stay the hell away!”

“Ehehehe!” Mina leans in and ruffles her ash-blonde hair, giving her a not-so-innocent grin. “Don't worry. Todoroki's too smitten to be led astray.” She then straightens up. “Besides, I'm taken, but...there are lots of girls who aren't...so, you miiiiiiight wanna snag your man soon, Kat.” She's then skipping back towards Kirishima, while Bakugo tries not to launch an explosion at her, snarling and grumbling after her retreating back.

Katsuki just makes a frustrated sound and storms off to her cabin. Muttering threats galore.

Kirishima and Mina are heading towards one of the shared cabins to stash their stuff and then head out to explore.

Mina is grinning so hard she feels her face starting to hurt.

“Uh-oh...I know that look...” Kirishima says, giving her a fond exasperated grin when he catches sight of her glee. “What did you even say to her?”

“Oh nothing,” she singsongs. “Girl talk, ya know?” and she's winking, twirling to dance to a rhythm in her head. “Ooooh, I'm so excited to throw on some jams and let loose! I can't wait to see what the next three days bring for all of us!”

Hopefully by the time this trip is over, those two will finally be together. I'm rooting for you Todoroki!

Ah! A girl can dream, right?

“Fuckin' Mina!” she grumbles, stomping down the trail that led to her cabin. If she were in a better mood, she'd actually enjoy the beautiful scenery, but at the moment, she was fuming for many different reasons.

She walks for a couple of minutes through the forest, noting all the different small springs that were scattered around. There were so many trees and cliff formations that it was hard to tell where one thing started and another ended. There are flowers everywhere! Whether planted by the resort or they just naturally bloomed, she's not sure, but they really light the place up. Helping to calm her down a bit as she continued on her way.

It's not much longer before she's standing in front of her cabin and both her eyebrows arch when she takes the space in.

She shuffles her large backpack over her shoulder and readjusts her smaller suit case to fit better in her hand.

Damn, this place is actually fucking decent...

She appreciates the rustic feel to it all, the quiet and calm of the area that she's going to be spending three days at. She climbs the few steps to the veranda where a few rocking chairs are placed and goes inside the small wooden structure.

It's the perfect size for her. After a quick inspection, it's just one room. There is an enormous bed nestled against a corner, overlooking a panoramic window, beige curtains draped across the way. A wooden table and set of chairs with a woodstove and a bunch of firewood already cut up and ready to be lit. There is a small dresser and matching mirror leaning against an opposite wall and a small bookshelf with random materials for reading placed next to it.

The only other room is her own personal bathroom and when she ventures into the space, she's extremely pleased to find a working shower as well, meaning she won't have to bathe with her classmates during the trip and can enjoy a little bit of privacy for a change.

Upon further investigating, she notes a fridge and freezer that was full of different foods. A few cuts of meat and fresh bread, fruits and vegetables and even some juice and milk and a few jugs of water. Snacks in a single cupboard over the refrigerator and even a small rustic cooking stove, that would suit her perfectly.

Ha!

If she really wanted, she literally could just hide out here for the entire trip. She's got everything that she needs.

Well...mostly everything.

She refuses to think about Todoroki and his ridiculous behavior. Acting like she didn't fucking exist when he's always just in her fucking business, twenty-four seven!

If this is part of some dumb plan of his, she's gonna kick him in the face.

But no...that's not the feeling she'd been getting at all.

Something was off about him, but hell if she knew what his problem was.

She's so used to him just...being there all the damn time. That his silent, distant presence makes her feel empty inside. For so long she'd always acted like she hated him in her space all the time, even though it had never been true, but now that she's got the distance...?

She feels hollow.

Did she fuck up somehow? Was he really having second thoughts about them? Had she been...too much for him? She'd let herself go that night with him...and maybe...she'd scared him off?

But that shit doesn't make any sense either!

Her mind flashes to his silly picnic dinner. He'd taken all that time to set that up and surprise her and she'd acted like it was lame the entire time.

Maybe you're just not worth pursuing anymore. You don't appreciate anything that he does for you...so this is all your fault. You ain't special. You're just a bitch. Bet he sees your true colors now, Baka...

“Shut the fuck up!” she yells at herself, her own insecurities rearing their head and making a mess of her mind.

Tch. Forget asking him to my cabin then. Let him rot with the others, pfft...whatever...I don't even care!

She does, in fact, care...

Maybe too much.

Ugh!

She spends the next hour getting herself situated. Unpacking her bags and placing everything in the appropriate areas. She pretends her mind isn't racing and trying to give her anxiety. Spends some time travelling the trails around her cabin to get the lay of the land. Thankful that she doesn't run into any of her class or teachers.

She knows she's overreacting. Todoroki wasn't like that. Wouldn't go to all that trouble if he didn't just...get her. Understand the ways in which she showed affection and that deep down, she was actually super flattered that Todoroki did such sweet things for her. But, then...on the flip side...Icyhot could be oblivious sometimes and maybe, he thought she didn't actually like all that stuff. She's never said thanks. Never made a gesture of her own back. Maybe he thinks he's wasting his time.

That's 'cause you are just a waste of time.

“UGH! I don't want to think about this shit anymore!” she growls.

Too bad for her though, because even before, she'd never been able to stop thinking about him.

She spends the next hour in her borrowed bed, pouting at her phone when she sees that there is still no texts from Todoroki. Over forty-eight hours without a single stupid meme and it makes her fucking sick to her stomach. He spams her phone all the time with his crap...so what the hell is going on?

'You might wanna snag your man soon...'

How the hell am I supposed to do that if he won't even look me in the eye anymore!?

Whatever...I don't...care...she whispers to herself as she sets her alarm for 5:30 PM and promptly passes the hell out.

She needs a brain reset.

The bonfire is in full swing by the time she arrives, almost an hour late.

She'd decided on a red one-piece bathing suit, but put on a white see-through belly top over it, for just a little more modesty. She'd thrown on a pair of black gym shorts too and once she grabs her converse, she heads out. She's not planning to swim in the ocean, but if she decides to try out one of the hot springs, she'll be able to easily.

“KAT, HEY!!” Mina yells from a grassy area, waving at her and shaking her ass to whatever the hell is playing. They've got a boombox set up and some of the other girls are dancing and laughing. “FOOD'S OVER THERE!” and she's pointing to the picnic table and BBQ stationed by some trees.

There are ice coolers too, many surgery drinks and water and soda. Even a bunch of different flavors of energy drinks. No alcohol, as it was strictly prohibited by U.A regulations. Plus, they weren't all the legal drinking age yet. Aizawa would have their heads and none of them wanted to ruin this trip for a stupid buzz.

She heads over for the food and scarfs down a bunch of hot dogs and a few cobs of grilled corn. She grabs an energy drink and chugs the entire thing, feeling a sort of sugar buzz come over her anyways. She eyes the rest of the beach, noting some of the guys playing cards around a convenient tree stump on the ground. Mineta sitting on Shoji's shoulder and snickering evilly as the big guy wins a round of poker.

She notices Tsu in the water, apparently not bothered by the time of year, considering she was amphibian. Some of the class are fishing and some are lounging around in beach chairs. There is a huge fire in a pit blazing away, with enough wood piled next to it that they could build another cabin if they wanted.

There was also a volley ball game going on down the far left side of the beach in the sand. She notices Deku and Todoroki right away, but then sees Pink Cheeks and Four Eyes as well. They look to be playing pretty competitively and she's already moving her feet, heading their way, deciding that she wants in on that action.

When she finally gets in range, they are just finishing up a round.

“Kacchan! You made it!” Deku is the first to spot her, of fucking course.

“Tch! Yeah! Came to show you guys how it's done!”

Deku doesn't even miss a beat, “we're playing quirk volley ball! It's super fun!”

“Ooooh, how about girls against guys?!” Ochako declares, skipping up to her in welcome and pounding her fist into her hand.

“Actually, that sounds perfect, “ Ida announces, handing the volley ball back to Todoroki who'd been his partner. “I actually wanted to get in on that poker game, so if you'll excuse me.” He is adjusting his glasses. "I think I may have finally developed a sound strategy for defeating Shoji."

"Go get 'em, Ida!" Ochako cheers. 

Shoji is undefeated in all things card games and not a single person in their class has ever won against him. 

“Sounds like a plan,” she agrees, excited to smash a ball around for a little while. “We're gonna cream those losers, Sweet Cheeks!”

“I dunno,” the other girl says, “Todoroki's team has won every game so far. Me and Deku haven't been able to score many points.”

“Tch,” she spits, turning to face the object of her irritation today. She's certainly surprised when she sees his mischievous smirk, like he's completely back to his old fucking self and the last two days of radio silence has been all her imagination. The fuck? “That's 'cause you've had shitty Deku as a partner. Now you've got me!”

“Hey!” Deku meeps out.

“...or maybe it's because I'm just that good,” comes Todoroki's smooth voice and it makes the hair on her neck raise in challenge.

“YA!? We'll fucking see about that!” and she's cracking her knuckles and shoulders, smirking at them all.

They all take their places while Ida heads up the beach. Deku is serving and they all wait with baited breath for the ball the fly.

It comes fast like a bullet, she only has four seconds to counter, but she uses them well. Blasting into the air and kicking the ball so hard onto the other side, it's not even a blur. It touches down in the zone, point for the girls team, and then ricochets out.

When she touches back onto the ground in a crouch, all three of them are gaping at her. “What was that shit about having a bad time scoring points? Work fucking harder, you nerds! Lets fucking go!”

It's on like Donkey Kong now!

Her team loses by one point.

ONE POINT DAMMIT!

But Todoroki and Deku together end up being mad fucking creative with their quirks. Things get so heated that they accidentally break two of the balls and end up having to grab a few extras from the small utility shed.

In the end though, Todoroki manages to score the final point and win his side the match.

She's not fuming or anything!

She's not!

“YOU CHEATED SOMEHOW! BASTARD!”

“There was no cheating Bakugo, we won fair and square,” Todoroki chides her, but he's watching her with those fond eyes again as she storms up to him and sticks a finger in his face.

“LIES!”

She doesn't get it! Is she crazy? Did she make all that shit up in her head earlier and think that Todoroki was acting weird when he wasn't?!

Ochako is bounding around the net as well, to come closer to them all. “That was such a crazy match, it was so close! We almost won! Nice job you guys!”

“Are you kidding?!” Deku shrieks, “did you see when Kacchan did that flip off your shoulders to score a point. I couldn't believe it! It looked so cool!”

“Or when Todoroki used his ice fist too hard and the ball exploded!”

“Or when--”

“STOP OR WE WILL BE HERE ALL NIGHT!” Katsuki roars, knowing that when those two got started, they would never fucking stop. “No more energy drinks for either of you. I'm cutting you the hell off!”

“Nooo! But I like the blueberry one!” Ochako says, practically vibrating in place.

“Sour green apple!”

“Hey, race you to the coolers, Deku!” the pink-cheeked girl shouts, ignoring her threats as the both of them shoot across the sand.

“Ugh...” she gripes, rolling her eyes. "Leave it to those two, to already be half-baked off sugar."

“To be fair, the blueberry one is actually pretty good,” she hears and then she turns to see Todoroki in her space, his taller frame hovering over her. He's got his hair pulled up into a high ponytail, bi-colored bangs frizzy over his eyes. He gestures to her with the volley ball, “wanna go again?”

“Pfft, no...” she scowls defensively, arms crossing over her chest. “So, what...you actually want to hang out now?”

“Huh?”

She rolls her eyes again and shrugs, brushing it off, glancing to the side. “Nothing, forget about it.”

She must have just been over-thinking things. He's perfectly fine. He's acting normal now, being his usual self. So...everything had to have been all in her head.

“Told you I was that good,” he says, lip twitching.

“Ha! You were worried there for a bit, I was getting some mad points before you guys made that lame comeback.”

“Maybe,” he agrees, but he's casually leaning down to mumble in her ear, “or maybe that was my strategy all along.”

She turns and pushes him away, her face blooming into red, hackles raised. “Don't bullshit me, bastard!”

“I wouldn't...” he declares innocently, hands up, expression flirty and knowing.

“Fine then! How about a different kind of game!” she's then blasting into the sky and flying over the shore of the beach. “Think you're so good? Try to catch me in the skies, Half-n-Half! Unless you're too chicken shit!” She laughs in evil glee and blasts hard across the water, shouting out in a cheer as her adrenaline rises the faster and further she flies.

She's only blazing a trail over the lake water for thirty seconds when she hears the tell-tale crackling of ice. She can only grin like a maniac as she glances back as sees a bullet trail of ice and fire as Todoroki skates towards her. He's using his fire as a booster rocket behind himself, giving him a faster momentum than she is currently maintaining.

Soon, he catches up to her.

“Ahahahaha! That's what I'm fuckin' talking about!” she shouts over the wind in their faces. She's still high above him but he's keeping pace now. She's fucking impressed with his control, he's a literal explosion of power as he skates across his man-made ice.

She sees him smirk and she immediately expects a move. He doesn't disappoint, using his quirk to create rings in the air with his ice that he moves around like Sonic the Hedgehog, launching himself into the sky to try and get a grab at her.

She cuts her quirk and dive bombs out of his reach, giggling like a little kid the entire time as he misses her completely. She's reactivating her quirk just as she's about to hit the water and blasting up again, past his flailing body.

She shoots off with a “WOOOOOOO!!” only hollering again when she hears that crackling sound coming closer and closer.

What a fucking wild ride!

They spend almost thirty minutes fucking around on the water, but in the end, Todoroki isn't able to catch her. She's freakin' queen of the skies. She skips up the beach in glee once they make it back to shore and Todoroki, fucking exhausted as hell, slumps onto the sand next to her, panting and out of breath.

“We probably broke some rules there or something,” Todoroki confesses, breathing heavy.

She shrugs, “Aizawa said that as long as things are as we found them, then we're good...so...” she then gestures to the vast body of water in front of them. How as far as the eye can see there is ice. She can even still see all the rings and inclines in the air from where he'd tried to catch her. “You just gotta melt all that ice and we should be okay...”

Todoroki tiredly hoists himself into a sitting position and takes in the chaos from their impromptu game of tag. “Dammit...” he's not looking forward to the energy that is going to be required to melt the ice.

“Better get to it, Icyhot!” she grins, trying to keep a straight face. He turns to her in a deadpan, clearly not happy about the idea, but he's grinning a bit anyway. “Be a good boy and clean up your mess now,” she laughs, playful and leaning in to snag a kiss.

Only for Todoroki to pull away before she can plant one on him. Making her do this weird lean and jerk motion! Fucking embarrassing. With a put-upon sigh he stands up, “I guess I better get to it...” he mutters, heading back down to the shoreline to stick his left hand in the cold water.

Did...he just fucking snub me?

She sits tense in the sand, not able to move, for she feels two different reactions weighing her down.

She is furious! Wants to run over there and smack him in the head and ask him what his deal is. But the other part of her just feels genuine hurt and wants to get away.

She hadn't imagened that...

So...now she knows that there must be something wrong. That her earlier concerns had been warranted and maybe surface level Todoroki was fine, but inside he was not.

She picks option two because, well, her own insecurities have been wrecking havoc on her all day...and she just, wants a bit of space.

She runs.

She ends up dancing with Mina and Jirou for a little while, drinking another energy drink, hoping to lift her spirits some. She then plays in a game of intense poker with Shoji, 'King of card games', and his evil sidekick, squirrely unpredictable Mineta. Kirishima drops in for a couple of rounds, but he's got a terrible poker face and looses every round. She pulls out a win against Mineta, but she can never win against Shoji. He's always been the hardest read in the room. Not even luck had been on her side.

Tokoyami enters the card scene an hour later and she bows out, having had enough for the night.

A soft, quieter air has befallen the place as the lanterns turn on and make the entire space glow in the dark. An eerie calm. An intimate feel.

The night is slowly winding down, most of her class have paired off now, in groups of twos and threes, in various areas around the beach.

Mina and Kirishima are sharing a low, private conversation between themselves across the fire, trading smiles and flirty looks as they enjoyed their own little world.

Deku and Sweet Cheeks are sitting down at the beach, letting the soft waves glide silky over their feat in the sand. She watches the pink-cheeked girl lean over and give the loser a kiss, rolling her crimson eyes as Deku sputters but sheepishly returns the favor. They've been dating since the middle of Second Year. So almost a year now and it seemed that the nerd still couldn't handle even getting a kiss.

Gross!

Four Eyes and Momo are sitting at the picnic table with Tsu, looking through the photo album that Mina had put together for Class A. Surprising them with it earlier and making a lot of the losers tear up.

Koda is laying passed out cold on the grass behind them, two of the cutest fucking foxes and a damn crow, for god-sake, snuggled up close to him. Mina had already freaked out earlier and taken like thirty pictures of it.

Kaminari and Jirou were already gone. The goth girl had managed to snag one of the good cabins and she was like, one-thousand percent sure they'd gone to bed early to fuck. Gah, ew.

Holy Christ, most of her friends were paired off now it seemed. They had all found someone. Were making plans with each other for the future. They were open about their affections and their relationships. Like it wasn't a big deal.

She feels jealous that she doesn't have that too. That she's sitting here, next to the fire, sulking over a guy who snubbed her. Her crimson eyes glance around, to locate red and white, but he is MIA again.

She sighs to herself and accepts defeat. She guesses she won't get a chance to sit with him against the warm embers.

“Hey Kat,” comes Kirishima's soft, concerned voice from across the pit. She zones back in and glances over, to see both Mina and Kiri watching her. “You good? You look like someone stole your vintage All Might figures.”

She scoffs and plays it off, “yeah I'm fine. Just crashing now 'cause of those damn energy drinks.”

The redhead laughs and agrees with her. But, Mina is giving her this confused frown that Bakugo can only shrug to. She can tell that the girl wants to say something, but they are interrupted, ironically, by Todoroki strolling casually up to them.

Where did he even come from?

“Oh, hey Todoroki!” Mina calls to him in greeting. “You heading out now or something?”

“Yeah, been a long day,” he declares, not glancing at her even once. “Thanks for the invite by the way...”

“Oh...uh, no problem Icy Blue...” she says, her eyebrows furrowing and glancing back at Bakugo again in surprise.

See! Even fucking Mina can tell something is off about him! It's not just me!

Bakugo crosses her arms and bites her bottom lip, keeping a lid on all the things she wants to shout at him. She doesn't want to cause a scene, but...what the hell?

“Goodnight man! We'll see ya for breakfast tomorrow!” Kirishima, none-the-wiser, bids him off.

“Of course,” he hums. He then turns and gives her a small nod, before scooping up his belongings and heading up the trail that will take him towards the shared main cabin.

Mina gives her a startled look again and she suddenly feels something snap inside of her. The anger that she's been containing all day, springing forth and making her bare her teeth.

“That's fucking it..!” she shouts, jerking up and hastily grabbing her stuff to get the hell out of here. Her friends just give her curious looks, but she ignores them as she speeds off towards the trails. Knowing she'll need a few seconds to catch up with the icy bastard.

This shit ain't happening anymore!

Not if she has anything to say about it!

“HEY!” she calls out, when they are quite a ways into the dark forest, lit up with the soft lanterns. “HEEEY!!” she barks, when her first attempt gets no response. “Stop fucking ignoring me, asshole!!!”

“Bakugo?” and Todoroki is whipping around, like he'd been lost in his head and hadn't heard her right away. “What are you--?”

“WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR DAMN PROBLEM TODAY?!” she snarls, coming to stand in his personal space.

“Problem?" He questions, tilting his head. "I don't...have a problem...” He reaches out, placing a hand on her arm, expression concerned.

She backtracks when she sees his earnest face and even she cannot figure out what is the truth. “Is everything oka--?” but he's shutting up when she kisses him, fierce and deep and everything she's been wanting for the last two hours after he'd pulled away from her earlier.

He pulls her close and she makes a small desperate sound and drops all her stuff to the ground to wrap her arms around his neck. He kisses her with the same enthusiasm as he normally does, like he hadn't just spent all day being a hot and cold dick to her.

When they finally part, he's got a soft flush to his cheeks and she feels erratic.

He pulls her close again, hugging her and nuzzling into her hair. His grip tells her of his desperation, how his fingers dig into her back and shake. With how he's responding to her, she can almost believe that things are normal.

Todoroki is giving her this look and he takes a breath to speak, “Bakugo...I...”

But they hear giggling and the sounds of footsteps approaching. Both of them panic, but it's Todoroki who pulls back from her quickly. Like he's been burned or some shit and her stomach drops again when his fond eyes are replaced with blank ones.

She frowns and studies him as some of their class head up a few of the other trails. Not paying them any attention, laughing and bantering with each other as they pass by.

“Do you..?” she begins, but he cuts her off.

“I should probably head back, don't want to miss out on a good futon in the shared cabin.”

Come stay with me!!! her mind shouts, feeling out of sorts.

It's right on the tip of her tongue to ask him to her cabin. But she's so unsure right now and thrown for a loop that she can only nod her head and turn her back as he continues on the trail.

Normally...he'd just invite himself over. Or...he'd just show up unannounced and argue with her and somehow get his way...

Maybe...maybe that was his plan now? Maybe she'd get back to her cabin and a little later he would show up?

That seed of doubt has her not getting her hopes up, though.

Her face falls.

Todoroki's not coming.

...and...yeah, she guesses she's gotta get over that.

She's back at her own cabin a while later.

Sitting outside on the veranda in one of the chairs, a soft blanket pulled around her as she sits and waits.

She feels fucking pathetic and emotional and she hates that shit!

She should just fucking text him and tell him to get his stupid ass over here. But, she fucking can't! What if he wanted space or something?

Later, she tries to sleep, but it's hopeless. One, she's had way too many fucking energy drinks tonight. Two, she's feeling antsy as hell and wants to blow something up.

She tosses and turns for what feels like days, and when she's not able to sleep for almost an entire hour, she gets up and changes her clothes. Grabs her small bag and towel, and heads out into the dark, lantern-lit forest, needing to get some fresh air. 

She'd waited until almost midnight to come out here, knowing by that time her classmates would be in bed and Aizawa would be passed the hell out. Bakugo has known that fucker now for almost three years, they had all caught on to their teacher and his consistent sleeping schedule. It's how they'd gotten away with quite a few things over the years, without him knowing about it.

That man loved to sleep, it was kinda gross.

She'd waited for the cover of complete darkness to come out to the Hot Springs. Traversing the trails for a little while before finding a perfect little alcove amongst some forestry that was out of sight and was quite a ways from the cabin she was staying in further down into the woods.

This particular spring was quite large and branched off to other secluded spots like these. It was like a small pool, the enclosure carrying her to an area covered in trees and shrubs, small flowers and a cobble stone walls. There was a ledge for sitting on, on the other side, built by the resort in case you got overheated. So you could sit there and let the breeze cool you down while you enjoyed the water.

This will do just fine, she muses to herself, and best of all, it's quiet and none of those losers are around to annoy me.

She sets her backpack down by a tree, grabbing a towel from her bag and pulling off her t-shirt and shorts, wrapping the white fabric around her chest. She folds her clothes and places them on the top of her closed bag, before hiding the bag away in a shrub, so that no one would know she was here. She is then walking the few short steps towards the water and sitting down on the ground, getting her feet wet as she tested the temperature.

Finally, when she deems it sufficient, she gets in, the warm water coming up just shy of her breasts. White towel clinging to her wet body as she floated and slowly made her way further into the enclosure. She glances around and notices there is a small alcove even further up through the water, off to the side and hidden quite well. With a beautiful cherry blossom tree overhanging another ledge that she could sit against.

“Perfect,” she hums to herself as she wades over to the ledge at the back. Turning and leaning against the beautiful dark grey stone, eyes catching the overhang of other fluffy trees and how they boxed her in. Space lit up with a couple of soft lanterns.

She breathes in deeply and sits down on the soft ground under the water, leaving only her head visible as she sank down. The warm water rushes in up to her shoulders and she leans her head back into the dip of the sitting area, basking in the quiet and calm. Feeling serene and tranquil as she gazed at the glittering stars above.

When she feels comfortable enough, she tugs the binding from around her breasts and pulls the wet towel from her skin, setting it aside on the ledge for an easy grab later.

Then...she just simmers.

Hovering underneath the soothing back-and-forth of the warm springs. She closes her eyes, sitting in place against the stone, feeling at peace. Her only company is the soft breeze, ruffling trees and subtle wind-chimes dancing in the air. Small animal nightlife puttering away. An owl making a couple of 'hoots' from a nearby tree. Lanterns casting a romantic glow in the darkness.

She sighs blissfully into the dark evening air, muggy temperature and breezy wind making her groggy and heady. The Hot Springs doing wonders to soothe her aches and pains.

She just wants to exist for a little while. No chaotic thoughts or overemotional reactions. No bothersome classmates or friends who were too nosey for their own good.

No thoughts of graduation and how somehow, she'd become attached to all these bastards and it all kind of felt bittersweet.

Mina and that stupid photo album.

Todoroki...and his distance.

Deku...and the promise she'd made to All Might.

No. Just quiet, calm and serenity.

...or at least, that's what she's going for.

She sighs and tilts back, sinking further into the water so she's fully submerged over her head. Holding her breath as she stayed stagnant in place.

Thump........Thump.......Thump...... beats her heart.

She's not felt this calm in a long time. 

When she finally emerges from under the water, she draws in a breath of fresh air and hoists herself up onto the ledge on her towel for a bit of a break from the heat. Crimson eyes drooping, heavy-lidded as she slides her hands into her hair and combs her fingers through the wet locks. Tilting her head lazily against the cobblestone against her back.

She's dozing against the stone wall ten minutes later, when she hears a sudden, deep curse. Then there is a very undignified yelp and the sound of someone hitting the water too hard. Like they'd tripped or something. Face smacking into it loudly.

She immediately bristles, jerking upwards as adrenaline spikes dangerously through her.

IF THAT'S FUCKING MINETA!!!!!!!!!!!

DEATH AND HORRIBLE HORRIBLE TORTURE!

RED ALERT! RED ALERT! DIE DIE DIE!

Right as she is about to loose her mind and launch an explosive assault on whatever dumb soul decided to bother her, she catches tall, red and white.

“What the hell, Todoroki...?!”

But he doesn't hear her, he's still lying face down in the water and gurgling bubbles, and she suddenly jolts forward towards him.

Fuck! What if he hit his head?!

She is by his side in seconds, pulling him up and out of the water and practically into her lap. She wades them back so she can situate him against the stone wall, to inspect him all over.

What the hell is he even doing out here? Didn't he go to bed?

He sputters out water, coughing and making gross undignified sounds as he chokes out the liquid from his lungs. Trying to take a huge gulp of air at the same time, his face red as hell and eyes squeezed shut in pain.

She pulls him close again, patting him on the back to help him along. “Are you trying to kill yourself idiot?!”

“Bakugo!” he pants out, trying to regain his breath. He looks like a drowning rat, hair a silly mess of tangles and face a ruddy mess.

“I thought you were Mineta,” she gripes, only a little bit of hysteria cracking in her voice at the thought of that midget getting a glance at her goodies. “I was about to incinerate your ass! You're so fucking lucky!” She checks his head over to make sure that he hadn't accidentally hurt himself, pulling them flush together, but she finds there to be no lumps or tender areas. The dumb-ass had just stumbled, like the lame dork that he was!

“Bakugo...” he groans out and...and it's lewd. It makes a flush run through her. His tone is low and desperate suddenly. Harassed. He doesn't sound like he is in pain, but more a different kind of discomfort.

“What the hell's your problem?”

“Why are you naked?” he rasps out, like it's the end of the world, his mismatched eyes roving possessively over her exposed bits.

Oh...and she blinks herself. She'd kinda forgotten.

“It's a hot springs, why the hell aren't you?” she bites back, glancing at his black swim trunks defensively, feeling suddenly flustered. This is the first time he's seen, well...all of her...

Shit!

He snaps into action, making her jump in surprise, her boobs jiggling with the momentum as warm water sputtered everywhere. He pushes her against the ledge, “hey!” and hurriedly reaches over and snatches her towel and promptly wraps the white fabric back around her chest. Covering her up with a red flush to his face, looking everywhere but at her as he stuttered and fumbled next to her.

She arches an eyebrow at his hasty movements and can't help but chuckle evilly when she gets a good look at his embarrassed face.

She glances down and fuck! ... she could already see how hard he was. He always got so hard for her, it made her feel so powerful. Those swim trunks were painted on and it gave her a fantastic outline of his thick cock jutting out between their wet bodies.

“Heh...whatsa matter Todoroki?” she drawls, vexing him, her voice hypnotic and teasing. She leans back on the small part of the ledge, lifting herself up again and practically posing for him and displaying herself. Purposely nudging the towel, watching as his eyes roam down to the tops of her breasts as the fabric slides precariously loose. “Can't handle all these curves..?” and she gripes the fabric, about to pull it all away but he's lunging again.

“Stop!” he hisses like a whip, frantically covering her up once more and using his own hands to keep the wet material secure against her frame.

“Ahaha!” she laughs. Mmm, fine by me... she moans to herself. He's all up in her personal space now anyway. Exactly like she'd been craving all day. Shielding her and caging her into his taller height, muscled chest bare. Hiding her away against anyone who might see her this way.

She'd only been looking for a little sanctuary when she'd come out here tonight, but...she guesses, this turn of events might be nice too. Maybe if she were like this he would pay attention to her finally.

She can't help but giggle, snickering at his antics and how shy he was suddenly being in the presence of her naked skin.

“You fucking stalker...” she gripes, giving him a 35% glare.

“I wasn't...I didn't...know you were here...” and he trails off, eyes finally catching her crimsons. Her heated, downright filthy look addressed to him makes him suck in a sharp breath, that timid, overwhelmed look coming back around to his face as he glued his cheek into the side of her neck. Like he's hiding himself and his reaction to her.

“I can feel you blushing Todoroki,” she teases into his ear, enjoying how abashed and ridiculous he's gotten. Putty in her hands. Unhinged just by her naked skin. He's too sweet. “Blush harder for me...” she drawls huskily, running the very tip of her tongue against his burning neck, tracing bulging veins and nibbling on the muscle.

“It's just the hot spring,” he defends himself and yeah, that might be true to some degree, the warm water making things muggy, but she knows it's not all of it. He can regulate his fucking temperature. It's not that!

He's weak in the knees for her. Can barely keep eye contact or keep himself in check after getting to see all of her. He's trembling against her, humming as she continues to lave at his neck, pulling him down on top of her with her bare legs, the small towel and his trunks their only barrier. “What...what are you doing out here like this?” he whispers into her hair.

“Relaxing,” she rasps, her tone low and sensual. “I can't fucking chill with all those idiots around me. Plus I drank like three energy drinks, so I'm still wired. So, I snuck out...” plus...I can't stop thinking about you... but she doesn't say that.

“Ah...”

“Just like you did, apparently...”

“Yeah, it's...the same for me. Hard to relax.”

She hums and pushes herself up, the towel barely covering her, to speak in his ear, “I bet it's hard to relax right now.”

“That...would be a correct assessment.”

She smiles to herself, he's too much sometimes.

While he's cowering in her neck, she pulls the towel from around herself and gently wades him back into the warm water, following after. She presses her bare breasts hard up against his chest, partially covering them and wraps her arms around his neck and legs around his waist, bare as the day she was born.

He jolts from her weight and their change in position. Her nipples sliding enticingly up and down his solid pecs, making her feel a little dizzy from the friction. His hands grab on to her thighs and he moans when he realizes what she's done. His arms flex and she gets a nice yummy view of his neck veins straining in arousal again as her exposed bottom grinds against his thin trunks.

“Bakugo,” he mutters, biting on his bottom lip.

That shit does things to her! She wants to bite it too!

After the last forty-eight hours of limited Todoroki, she refuses to give up now.

Whatever reservations he'd been harboring this last little while were apparently not an issue at present.

So, she'll just have to take what she can get.

They fall together so easily. She hates the way her heart throbs in her chest at his gentle gaze. How he looks into her eyes. He's so shy right now. No longer the guy who'd schemed behind her back and sent her annoying valentines on the down low. Who drove her crazy in so many ways she'd lost count at this point. Who just the other day had said such crass things to her while he'd fingered her on his bed and made her moan undignified.

Now, he was just dork Todoroki.

Why was he so perfect? Like he had two sides to himself, a perfect representation of his heterochromia characteristics.

Soon, they are kissing, languid and slow under the starlight, just basking in each other. She pours herself into the kiss. Wanting to forget all about his snub earlier and pretend that everything was fine.

The water swirled and swished around them as Todoroki waded around for a little while. Carrying her in his arms and giving her light, petal soft nips to her neck and face when they would break from their kisses. Hands roving and massaging all over her smooth wet skin, but always going back to grab a good handful of her ass. His mouth finds her own again and they are kissing deep, intense and passionate as her long fingernails wreck havoc in his long hair.

Missed you... her mind says.

He never even went anywhere! She shouts back. So why the fuck does she feel so clingy then?

“I don't think I've ever seen you so calm before...” he comments when they part and she nuzzles her nose into his neck, basically clinging to him as her body went limp in his arms. “Sorry if I interrupted your alone time,” he whispers into her hair.

“Mmm...” she hums, not really in the mood to talk anymore. Her mouth slurring a little bit. “...'s whatever...don't care...” but she does care and that's the whole problem.

The breeze picks up again and the wind-chimes flutter to life once more. Trees swishing in the air as another owl makes a few 'hoots!' from the branches.

“Did you want me to go?”

“No, you can stay...” she mumbles, feeling small.

Please stay...

“Okay,” he whispers and she can feel his small smile against her forehead when he gently kisses her hairline. “No one would ever believe me if I told them I got to see you like this...”

“Tch! Wah's that supposed ta mean?”

He grins, “like a soft little kitten.”

She makes a grumpy noise, “'m not a fuckin' cat, bastard. How many times I gotta say that shit?”

“Really? I beg to differ...”

“Pfft. I ain't. Prove it!”

“Your nickname is literally Kat,” he tells her and she gives him a half-assed glare, “you hiss and growl and claw and bite at anyone who you don't like.”

“Whatever, so what..?”

He chuckles, “but then you have moments like this. Where you're soft and want to cuddle.”

“'m not cuddling!”

“Just like a little kitten, fierce and feisty, but also cute and adorable.”

“Call me fuckin' adorable again and imma kick you outta my hot springs,” she hisses at him, only giving him more leverage to use against her.

“Bakugo Felis,” he snickers.

“Oh my god...” she mutters. “Thank fuck we don't have internet service up here...so we can get a break from your lame as hell animal obsessions.”

Todoroki just hums and moves them both back, floating towards the stone wall and ledge just a few feet away. He shifts them and sits with his back to the rock, positioning her over him so they can continue to snuggle close.

Whatever, she ain't cuddling him...he's just warm and smells good and and...what the hell was she even arguing about again?

He's different now, than he was earlier. Like's he's come back to his usual self again.

There is a pattern in there somewhere, but she's too lazy to figure it out right now.

“I have to tell you a secret...” he mutters as she gets herself comfortable. Body going limp against him completely. He's still hard under her, he'd never gone soft. She can feel it between her legs as she sits on him and it makes her dizzy a little bit, the hot springs affecting her more than she realized. “I don't actually...like Animal Planet as much as you all might think...”

“Say what?" Hah?! That's fucking news to her! "Then why the hell are you always driving me crazy asking to watch the stupid thing?”

“Why indeed..?” he says, glancing away. He runs one of his hands through his own hair, the strands damp and frizzy from the humidity.

There is so much hesitation in him. She frowns when she sees it. He is usually full of cool confidence. But today he's seemed so off, out of balance.

She pulls away from him and sits up, exposing her chest and making her bottom rub enticingly against his hard-on as she faces him. She watches him take a deep breath, adams apple gulping and tensing. But his sharp eyes remain on her, mismatched gaze full of so many emotions that she feels her breath catch at it. “I don't get it...” she says, but maybe she does get it.

Maybe she understands that look in his eyes better now...he is... unsure. She thinks she understands it a lot, because she been feeling the same way lately. She's playing dumb and fishing for answers so she doesn't have to put herself out there and potentially face rejection. Todoroki, it seems, is doing much the same.

He obviously has much more courage than her, because he finally says, “tonight...at the bonfire...I didn't...I mean, I wanted to do what our friends were doing.” He eyes her then, his mismatched gaze roving over her. He slides his hands from around her thighs and draws them up her skin. Tracing the toned contours of her silky back.

He tugs her forward and her nipples rub slightly against his face. She's sitting a little higher up than him, due to her position in his lap. “What do you mean? You were there! You played shitty cards and ate a bunch of junk food, just like the rest of us.” Bonfire? The hell? She hadn't been expecting him to say that.

Todoroki just sighs, “I mean at the end there, when...everyone was sitting together, when it was quiet...I...wanted that to be us too.”

He's not making any sense. "Then why did you bail out like that?"

He just frowns, not really answering her question at all.

Ugh!

She scoffs at him, but she's having trouble looking at him now too, “you never had any problem doing whatever the hell you wanted before!”...and he hasn't!

This entire time he's just done whatever he'd wanted, toeing the line of boundaries and pushing whenever he could. Why NOW was he all of a sudden shy? “Besides, you literally ran off somewhere...I thought you had gone back to your cabin or some shit. I dunno, you were acting weird all fucking day...most of this week, actually!”

“I know that I have," he confesses, his lips pursed, like he wasn't happy about his attitude. "I didn't know if it would be appropriate, to...approach you in that way...and I was over-thinking everything.”

“Appropriate?!” she barks, a laugh startling out of her. “You send me those filthy cards and speak such lewd bullshit to me in bed. I'm sitting naked in your fucking lap right now. How much more inappropriate can you get? Ha! It's now you wanna act all proper an innocent?! Please!”

“I meant in public Bakugo...with our...friends.”

Has all of this really just been because he didn't know how to act around her and their friends anymore!?

Is he for fucking real right now?

She really...really, really...wants to punch him right now. 

All that fucking anxiety wasted on nonsense. 

“What the fuck is the difference?!" she finally barks. "It's never stopped you before!”

“Things are different now!” He says, his voice heated. He's frowning at her and sitting up to his full height. “It's not the same anymore...”

She feels a small pinch of pain in her chest at his words. What the hell does that mean? 'It's not the same anymore'? What's he even saying? Why is everything so confusing now?

“You're confusing the fuck outta me, Todoroki!”

“Shit...sorry...” he's suddenly scratching at his head, “I'm not explaining myself very well, am I?”

“You're acting like a weirdo,” but she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into an aggressive kiss, drawing him in deep and forceful. When they part for air, she pins him in place and says. "What's the real reason you lyin' about that awful fucking show for?”

Todoroki glances away sheepishly. “I actually do like the show, but more...newer episodes." He's looking at anything other than her. "I guess...I just didn't know how to get your attention...”

Her eyebrows fly into her hairline. “I've probably seen every fucking episode like, five times at this point!” she roars, fuming in light of Todoroki's confession, while he just continues to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. “I fucking hate that narrator guy! Like...hate him! You tellin' me we coulda been watching something else this whole time?! Do you want to die?!”

“Err...well...no, not especially?”

She sneers, because this mother fucker just gets on her damn nerves sometimes. "YA!? Well you've gotten pretty damn close for most of the day, rat bastard!"

"...sorry..."

“Stop saying you're sorry! UGH!” She scowls at him, “you act like you don't have my fucking attention! News flash, bastard, you've always had my fucking attention!” She's then pointing against his chest. "So stop acting like a prat! Acting like we're somehow changed! That you should act a different way now just because we've fooled around! Is that what all this has all been about?”

“We are different now...” he argues.

“No we're not! That's what I'm trying to tell you, asshole!”

“You...” but then he stops and his face scrunches up.

Todoroki looks like he's thinking really fucking hard in his head, trying to grasp her meaning blurred between two lines. His eyes finally light up and he arches a brow at her, “so...what you're saying is...it's no different, in private or public..?”

“YES! Get it now?!”

“...I think so..?”

She glares at him, “ugh! For god sake I'm going to the damn formal with you. In front of all our friends? Doesn't that tell you something!? Maybe you are the one who needs to get a damn clue!” She knocks lightly on his head. “You got anything in there?! God you are so annoying!”

He appears thoughtful. “This conversation turned out a lot more confusing that I anticipated. We're not very good at this communication thing, are we?”

Bakugo aims a 70% glare at him. Totally fed up. “Tch, whatever, how about you just do as I say!" She reaches down and grasps his chin, pulling his face up so they were locking eyes. "Quit over-thinking shit. You want something, go for it. Like usual. I ain't paying attention to no second-guesser, Half-n-Half." She leans down and gives him a deep kiss, biting on his lip when she moves back. "So you take what you want," she husks, eye blazing, "I want you to be you. Nothing fucking less! I won't accept it." Bakugo is then gesturing to her naked flesh. "You think that I let just anyone see me like this?! Fuck no! So figure it out already!”

He's nodding his head at rapid fire. It would be cute if she wasn't so over this entire conversation. “Okay,” he agrees, simple and sure.

“Good! So now you can stop being so weird about everything, and you can go back to being an assh—ahhhh!”

She screeches as she's suddenly thrown into the air and lands far out in the warm water. She flails around as she sinks below, body acting on auto-pilot.

Did that fucker just throw me in the water?!

She rapidly swims to the surface and sputters in disbelief when she resurfaces.

Todoroki's standing by the ledge, fucking laughing at her!

Oh he dead!

“You fuck-wad!” she howls, charging forward to kick his ass as he tries to get away.

“It was the only way to stop your rant...”

“YOU'RE DEAD!!”

They battle it out for a good five minutes. Dunking each other in the water so many times that they are strung out by the end of it. By then, they are grinning stupidly at each other. Todoroki chuckles and eventually scoops her up into his arms as she squirms to get away. Both of them snickering as she's twirled around and then pulled close for a deep kiss.

Their tongues slide together wetly. Full of unspoken revelations and underlying meanings. Their conversation earlier had been nothing but misdirects to the real questions. But, she's reassured now of their place together. Todoroki obviously wanted more. So, they'd get there, eventually.

But for now...

She wants him in other, more obvious ways.

“Todoroki,” she mutters, whisper soft, her eyes barely open when their mouths part from their drawling kiss.

“Hmm?” he hums, staring down at her lips still.

She feels an ache settle deep into her bones.

She doesn't bother to say anything else, just moves her hands from around his neck and grabs on to both of his wrists. Pulling them and guiding them upwards, until his rough fingers are skimming her soaking wet boobs. They are still hidden in the water, but she makes a small sound when his thumbs swipe over her hard nipples.

“Can I...?”

“Yes,” she hisses.

He wastes no time in lifting her up, twirling them around and placing her on the small ledge before getting to his knees in the water. His height makes him eye level with her chest and she'd be more embarrassed at his lustful gaze if she wasn't feeling so good at the moment.

Instead, she arches her back and spreads her legs right in front of him, showing him everything that she has to offer. She hears his breath hitch at her lewd position and feels herself leak even more with arousal.

What is it about him that makes her so randy? She'd never gotten this wet with Kirishima. But there is something about the way he watches her, as if he wants to consume, that does things to her. She wants to see him come undone. Do what he wants. To take from her whatever he wishes.

She gasps as his heated mouth finds her left nipple.

“mmmm,” he hums, his tone sending soft shivers up her back.

“Do...do whatever you want...” she bites out, shaky hands griping his mismatched hair. Wanting to feel close to him in a physical way. To express her own feelings for him back, in a way she was more comfortable with. “I want whatever you want tonight.”

“Hmm, and what if what I want is all of you...” his eyes trace over her posture. Everything bare and on display, all for him.

“Then,” she stutters, her body tensing at the thought of his cock pounding inside of her mercilessly. “Then you can have all of me...” she offers desperately, knowing that as far as an admission of feelings went, that was all she would be able to give him right now. She feels her face burst bright red, but she means what she says...

“Even if what I want is--”

“Anything,” she whispers. Her hands are still shaking, but having seen his gaze flicker downwards, she is more than aware of where his mind went.

“I'm not going to fuck you tonight...” he proclaims and she sees his confidence has returned. How that bad boy nature of his is rearing back up. “But...” and he's licking his lips again.

They lock eyes and stare silently for eight seconds, like a confirmation. Then, Todoroki makes a sound and lunges for her kiss-swollen lips. She meets him dead on, bringing him close and finally letting herself relax and give in. She locks eyes with him again, pulling him from her mouth, “even if I say to stop, don't fucking stop. You got it, Icyhot?”

He makes this noise. It's deep and strung out and god...she's so damn turned on right now.

“I got it," he practically growls. 

“Good.”

“I'm going to milk you...” he mutters.

“Jesus fuck!” she yelps, as his lips find her breasts again and he bites down on her nipple. “Ah! What the fuck you say? You get your shit talk from porn or something!”

“...or something...”

Holy fuck he is a bastard!

He kneads and suckles and “fucking hell!” she gasps, as he switches to her other, previously neglected side, while pinching her abused one.

She feels him chuckling darkly against her chest and no...that, that shouldn't be as hot as it is. Todoroki is not this smooth and bad ass in bed. He's just fucking not! He's a dork at the best of times, silly and clumsy others. Not, not like this...

“You going to let me finally have you, kitten?”

“Don't fucking call me that, asshole!” she shouts, using her claws on his shoulders and squirming in his hold. “I'm NOT a fuckin—ahh!” she's tensing and arching as liquid cold bursts across her abused nipple. She stares sightless at the glaring stars above for a moment, panting as she comes back down from the abrupt icy sensation.

It's enough to make her feel drugged. God, she'd not been prepared for Todoroki's quirks actually being perfect for sex. The things he did with his ice...gah...

“Uh...uh...” she pants, blinking stupidly at him, her face soft and open and hazy.

Todoroki takes one look at her pleasure dumb expression and starts his aggressive assault again.

He's fucking feral!

He's kneading and sucking. Kissing and biting and soothing her tits with icy breathes until the nubs are aching from soreness. He's not satisfied until she's mewling in a bit of distress. The pain mixing with the pleasure to cause her to squirm and shiver.

He releases her with a pop. Lips smacking in the air.

She opens her eyes and gets a good look at him. He's smug, but hyper focused. Face red and hair shaggy, wet and ruffled from her fingers. His blue eye is black, wild and unashamed. While his grey eye was cloudy and muddied. Scar sharp against the backdrop of the darkness and the soft lanterns and her creamy thighs.

Before she knows it, he's trailing down and down, lips so slow she feels like her face is going to burst from hotness. He's gently nudging her closed legs, nuzzling into the V of her pelvis and nibbling on the soft flesh there as he persuades her to open up for him.

She feels like she's going to combust. She can't look at him. Crimson eyes fluttering away and whiting like a flower under his lustful gaze. He's watching her, eyes following her every panting breath as she tries to contain her reactions.

God she wants him there so bad. Wants him to push her legs apart and do whatever the hell he wants, so she doesn't have to think about it anymore.

She's squirming and rubbing her thighs together, willing all the courage that she has to finally open her legs.

But, he kills every brain cell in her head when he whispers out, “can I taste your pussy?” mumbling it into her thigh, eyes averted and focused on her skin.

“......................”

While her mind explodes from sheer horny hormones, she kicks out with her foot by accident, thrusting him back and into the water again with a punched out sound, making him go under and out of view.

She's gawking at him when he hastily emerges, coughing out water again, eyes wild and red as he cleared them of liquid. He's moving closer again, shaking his hair of droplets and gasping out “Bakugo what?!”

“Shit! I didn't mean to do that!” she hurriedly says. He's back between her thighs, arms coming around her and pulling her close. She's unhinged, shaking and trembling and fidgeting like crazy. Running her hands all over him, hiding her face under her wet bangs, against his chest. Her adrenaline fueling her anxiety, mixing in with how aroused she'd gotten, creating an almost Tasmanian effect.

Gah! She knows it's going to feel all sorts of good. So why the fuck can't she just get over it already?!

“Hey, shh, shh, slow down for a second,” he whispers into her ear, wrapping his arms around her back and simply hugging her. She's panting so harshly, it's as if she's having a panic attack. 

“Fucking hell! Just fucking do it already!” she husks, her voice beyond repair. She grabs his hair in an aggressive hold and pulls at the strands, to get his attention and push him down again.

She's shaking when his mouth finally hovers over her center. Panting and trembling and tense and wanting, all in the same shuddered breaths. She bites her lip and can barely watch him between her legs, feeling overwhelmed and abashed, like she's seconds from detonating into a pile of pleasurable goo.

Everything feels supercharged after their earlier argument. Like there is this deep tension around them, that would burst with the slightest prick of a needle.

He mumbles something, she can barely hear the sound of it over the ringing in her ears. But...fuck, she feels the air from his words puff hot and humid over her most sensitive area and she arches her back. Waiting waiting waiting, until...she feels a swipe of his tongue from her hole to her clit.

Tasting. Teasing. Not fucking enough!

“Ack!” The air punches out of her, so fucking shocked, and she's jerking away, pulling his mouth away from her and trying to scoot back on the ledge to get away and take a breath. “Fuck, fuck!” she pants, as she shivers with uncontrolled pleasure, already loosing her mind.

Todoroki just gives her an annoyed look, grumbling unintelligibly and swiftly grabs her by the ass-cheeks, dragging her back down and onto his awaiting mouth again.

“Wait! Wait!” she groans, squirming beneath his mouth as he slid his tongue against the outside of her lips. She's squeezing the side of his head with her knees, feeling mortified and horny as fuck at the same time. “It tickles, ahh!” and it fucking does! It's so weird and overly sensitive, his dumb bi-colored hair fluttering over her inner thighs and making her feel ticklish. But he just grunts and pushes at her legs, holding her open, just like she'd wanted.

He lays her thighs over his shoulders, resting them there, so he can use his fingers to glide against her wet lips, massaging them open and flicking his thumb over her swollen nub a few times.

She swears she's not breathing anymore.

When he's satisfied, he slides those fingers up and spreads her labia obscenely, exposing her hidden clit to his hungry eyes and dark evening air.

“So pretty...” he says and he's licking his lips. God! God! Fuck!

Staring and staring...and HOLY FUCK! Why was he just staring?!

“Todoroki...” she breaths hysterically, body pulled taunt and slit fluttering in anticipation. She takes deep and even breaths, trying to maintain some dignity, but it's a lost cause in the face of Todoroki on his knees for her. She rings her hands into his hair, pulling at the strands and waiting for fucking SOMETHING!

God damn, fucking do it already!

Finally, he does...

He sucks her bud once, lobbing up and down and all around with his coarse tongue and making her eyes go blurry and lashes flutter. Sucks twice, deep and perfect and long...as he holds there exactly where she fucking needs it...and oh god...oh god...

His fucking mouth!

He inhales with a whine and sucks again and...she's falling fast over the edge in shock.

“Ooooh fuck!” she whimpers, like a hiccup, the sound pitched high in sudden surprise. She keels back, legs spreading wide of their own accord as she shudders through a sharp sudden orgasm. Hands a death grip in Todoroki's hair as she harshly grinds her cunt into his face.

Jesus fucking Christ!

Holy shit...her mind is melting in ecstasy.

Ugh! She'd not meant to cum that fast and--

“Ahhh!” she sputters out, as Todoroki continues to go down on her, even after the height of her orgasm has started to subside.

But he gives her no reprieve, he throws himself into her with abandon, wild and desperate to get a piece of her himself.

It's so fucking hot. He's so damn hot and fuck, she wants him to wreck her!

He's holding her thighs open over his shoulders in his tight grip, hands two separate temperatures burning against her skin, and she swore he would undo her.

Kneading and nibbling at her lips like she was his last meal and he was going to enjoy every last bite. Nuzzling his nose into her nub, driving her stir crazy, before sucking her again, making her tense and arch and cry outright in a loud, desperate drawl. The sound falls from her lips with need, her oversensitive bud making everything feel so much more heightened.

She jerks and quivers and she's cumming again, practically convulsing against him as he lays claim to her, continuing to dominate.

He's jabbing his tongue inside of her, making her squeal as he lapped at her juices, getting them all over his face and god...god Todoroki was a fucking bastard for making her feel so crazy!

When he swipes that tongue across her ass hole, she almost kicks him in the face again in her shock.

“God! You nasty sonofabitch!” she snarls out, feeling wild and out of control. Wanting to cum again so fucking bad! Wanting him to ram his dick so damn hard inside of her that she could only scream. “You kinky motherfucker! God damn I want to kick your ass!”

He hums and like a bastard, just rams two fingers inside her cunt and she howls like a beast in heat.

She prays to whatever god might be out there that no one hears them. Comes to investigate all the noise that she's making as Todoroki turns her body to mush. He fucks her hard with his fingers, thrusting them quick and deep. He uses his cold thumb to aggressively rub her off and she's helplessly cumming again, the cold contrast on her shivering bud too much for her to handle. She feels his wet lips lock onto her own, cutting off her harsh moans with his mouth as he finally slows down his relentless pursuit.

“Fuck...fuck...” she pants, her body trembling every few intervals as she tries to calm the hell down.

She feels like she's just been free-falling and now, she's back on land, disorientated and dizzy, with a side of vertigo.

“One more,” he rasps against her mouth, his own breaths heavy. He's the most frantic she's ever seen him, wild and un-tempered. Even more so than when she'd sucked his cock that first time. He looks a bit like a madman finally getting the one thing that he'd ever wanted.

“I can't...I can't...” she rasps, her entire body trembling, heart ramming hard in her chest.

“You can,” he commands and his voice just makes her weak. “I'm going to take you apart now, kitten” he promises. She opens her hazy eyes to stare down at him. The imagine of his messy hair and vibrant eyes staring back at her from between the obscene spread of her legs. It just makes her sex clench.

Take her apart? Hadn't he...didn't he already do that?

“What...?” she mewls out, feeling confused and overwhelmed.

“Shhh...” he soothes, pulling himself from the water and laying into her, pressing soft, warm kisses all over her face. “You're so beautiful,” he moans against her neck, voice rough and gritty, sucking soft kisses into her collarbone and tracing his tongue back down to her chest. “I want to take my time now, want to hear every sound you make,” he whispers, kissing down her skin with reverence.

She's arching her body when he draws one of her abused nipples back into his mouth, eyes wide and almost unseeing as he teases her well. She feels so oversensitive and strung out, that even just that action has her whimpering and shivering. She feels his smirk gliding over across to her other breast, but she can barely form any coherent thought.

He keeps his eyes locked on her hooded gaze, sinking back into the water the farther his mouth descends on her skin. He's got a dangerous look about him now. Both of his eyes are black with desire as he reaches the small patch of hair that outlines the hump of her cunt.

She watches as he nuzzles his nose in the damp strands and she feels her eyes slide shut of their own accord, head tilting back and biting on her lip. His strong hands are massaging her thighs and ass from where she's still sitting on his forearms.

“Look at me beautiful, I want you to watch while I have my fill of you...”

She makes a choked off, high pitched sound, eyes opening as she grasps desperately into his wet hair. She needs to hold on to something. “Todoroki...” she whispers, trembling and wound up tight.

“Do you know how many nights I laid awake, thinking of nothing but this?” he hums, nose nuzzling down between her lips and laying a juicy wet kiss against her throbbing clit.

“Mmmm!” she whines, the sound coming out strained and desperate. Her body thrusts up against his face, wanting more friction, fucking needing it! But he holds her still, not allowing her any control.

“How many times...” and he pauses, sounding broken and shattered and emotional as he panted against her inner thigh. “...I dreamed of having you like this? Wanting you in any way you would allow, but most of all, with my face between your thighs.”

He's too much! He blows a small puff of icy breath against her most sensitive place and she keens into the darkness. Head tilting back and mouth dropping open again, no longer able to keep her eyes open.

“Yes,” he mummers, lips fluttering against her folds, “that's it. Just let go now, beautiful. Let go for me. I've got you.”

She stutters out random syllables, but in the end it doesn't matter. He descends on her and finally gets to work. His tongue laving languid and slow over her, tracing up and down on her bud with different shapes of his tongue, so many times she can't even tell anymore. He's still watching her, eyes dark and hungry as he takes his time.

Her mouth is trembling as she watches him. It's the most erotic thing she's ever seen. He's so lax with his ministrations. As if he'd like nothing more than to sit here between her thighs for the rest of his life and take her again and again.

She feels like she's having an out of body experience. His tongue slides down and laps at her dripping hole for a while. “Mmm, you're so soft and wet here...”

“Ah...Ahh...” she pants huskily, shaking and breaking apart.

“Taste so good,” he coos, mouthing at her juices and sticking his tongue in and out of her as far as he could reach. Fucking her like that for a good minute while she struggled to move her hips, his grip on her thighs iron clad. "Soaked and dripping."

She makes a snarling sound, angry and overstimulated and not fucking enough! She doesn't know how he's not removed her hands from the death grip she has on his hair, it must be fucking painful, but he doesn't.

He just chuckles darkly at her anger, those mismatched eyes black slits as he regarded her. “What do you need, love?”

She clenches her teeth together and sneers down at him. This is obscene, he's fucking obscene. She feels like she's on fire. Burning from the inside. Like she's got an achy scratch that she can't itch and it's driving her wild. “Fucking tease...stop ...stop messing around! Do what you said you would and--”

Oooooh fuck...

There’s a sharp glint in his eyes as he rears up, letting her hips go and spreading her lips apart again with his hands. Sucks and licks and makes the most lewd, wet noises she's ever heard. Goes to town on her. Hard and fast and without restraint. Tongue and lips and fingers fucking her hard as she arches back and moans for him.

It's agony. It's amazing.

There is a spiral of pleasure winding so tightly inside of her that she's almost scared for it to snap. She's whimpering into the air, heart beating intensely in her chest as pleasure blindsides her. The slick noises coming from between her thighs arousing and hot. His scuffs and wet drawls leaving her a mess. She tilts her hips up, his grip no longer restraining her and then he's sucking sooo good. So so sooo good right where she wants it most, that she's harshly moaning his name, the sound pitching out of her without a care.

“Yeah! Yeah..!” she cries, hips thrusting hard and fast. He's just let her go. One hand limp on her thighs, the other with two fingers deep inside of her as she takes her pleasure. Cunt scraping hard and fast against his face as she uses her leverage on his hair and it's fucking glorious. She's never felt so mad before. Raw and unrestrained as she chases her end.

She's feels it. Winding higher and higher. The slap slap slap of his fingers thrusting inside of her. She feels it start to trickle over her, legs trembling on his shoulders and core quivering after every swipe of his tongue. She's basically hunched over him. He hasn't even moved to take a breath, just letting her have free reign. She feels that pleasure start to crest, eyes rolling back as the first wave starts to hit her.

He pulls back from her, so quick she chases him almost over the ledge she's precariously sitting on. He full on stops everything, and she makes the most frustrated noise she can muster, the sound growling out of her roughly as she's denied her orgasm.

“What the fuck?!” she pants, every nerve ending inside of her on edge and waiting.

“Not yet,” he mutters, that low dark tone making her tingle and ache. She's so fucking close. So so close! She just wants to cum! She strains and tries to pull him to where she wants it, but he's got that iron grip back and she whines out another desperate sound when she can't get the friction she wants.

He brings her to the edge of orgasm and pulls back so many times in a matter of minutes that she's sobbing his name by the end of it. So far gone at that point that she doesn't even comprehend the words coming out of her mouth. So ready and willing to cum that she can't stand it anymore when he does it again for the fifth time. She's gonna snap!

Can you die from an orgasm? She feels like she's somewhere on the brink of that.

“Please...” she rasps out, her voice is basically gone. Rusty and harsh with overuse that it doesn't even sound like her. “Please!”

“It's okay, I've got you, no more teasing.” he hums.

“No more...” she sobs, her mouth trembling and swollen from bites, tear tracks running down the side of her face. She's a fucking mess and a half. “No more!”

“Go on,” he encourages her. “Cum for me.”

She's pulled and pulled, teetering once again and clenching when she anticipates him to move away. But, he doesn't and suddenly she's right there, body tense and wound tight as she waits for the inevitable fall from grace.

It starts at her feet, pleasure travelling like liquid ecstasy upwards and flushing across her skin and sore nipples, tightening them up and making them throb.

...and when it finally gets to her core, bursting out and scattering to every part of her, it's like a demolition of her entire being. So harsh as it shreds through her insides, to the point where she can't even make a sound. Just throws her head back as she shudders and shudders and shudders. Riding out the blinding waves of bliss.

...

...

...wow.

...

When he finally moves away from her a little later, she sags limp against the cobblestone wall, docile and hazy. Feeling like she'd just had her entire essence ripped right out of her.

She sits there, a slumping, sated mess, zoned out and just trying to make sense of what had just happened.

“Fuck ya, you eat pussy good...” she mutters, blinking stupidly at him. But she's still shaking and it feels like she might never stop.

She hears Todoroki murmur low under his breath and gently pulls her into the hot springs again, to pepper her face and neck and hair with loving kisses as he soothed her under the water. His mouth and jaw must be fucking aching, but he just continues to lave her with attention. Settling her astride his hips as he cuddled her close, her sore, abused breasts pushing wetly against his pecs.

“You take my breath away, Bakugo...” he whispers frantic against her mouth, and she can feel his pounding heartbeat. A perfect match to her own. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him even closer, locking him into a few passionate, sappy kisses that were full of too much emotions. A small flush on her cheeks as she mewled softly into their sensual exchange as they made out lazily against the dark and starry backdrop.

She has no thoughts. No words or comments.

Just the warmth of his embrace and that persistent flutter in her chest that keeps her clinging close to his shoulders. Feeling needy of him.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure you don't want my hel--?”

“Yes! I'm sure. I've got it.”

“Are you positive--?”

“YES!”

There is a moment of silence between them, before Todoroki is giving her a sigh, “Bakugo...” he's reaching for her and she shoos him away.

“Stop! I can get myself out I –hey! HEY! Put me down!”

“No.”

“TODOROKI! PUT ME DOWN! I SWEAR TO GOD YOU--”

“Sorry, can't hear you...”

“I said PUT ME DO---mmmph!”

Then she's being passionately kissed.

She's fucking ashamed for how easy her mind whittles away and her body takes over. But, she's weak for him...figuratively and literally right now...as her present condition has her limbs feeling like jelly. So much so that she'd barely been able to walk the small distance back to where she'd stashed her bag. Todoroki had offered to carry her over, through the warm water, but her blushing pride refused.

Pffft! She wasn't some weakling just because...just because Todoroki had basically forced the life out of her not too long ago. She was still recovering, having never experienced something that overwhelming before and it was wrecking havoc on her legs at the moment.

She'd barely made it over and then she'd just stared at the spot where she would have to find the energy to climb out of the springs in just her small towel. When she'd taken too long deciding on the best course of action, Todoroki had tried to pick her up, leading to a back-and-forth argument.

Suffice to say, she'd lost this round as well, as Icyhot's plan to distract her gives him the perfect opportunity to pull them both from the springs, using his ice quirk under his feet to hoist them up and back on the walking path.

She doesn't realize she's back on dry land until her feet hit the ground as Todoroki lets her down. She pulls from the kiss and glances around in surprise, before her eyes narrow into a glare and she's scoffing at him.

“Ugh,” she rolls her eyes, but decides to let it go when her face heats up again.

God, she can't stop thinking about what he'd just done to her.

'You finally going to let me have you, kitten..?'

Holy hell!

She feels like some shy loser who can barely look him in the eye right now. But at the same time, there is this deep hunger for him. This emotional connection. A neediness that she'd been experiencing for most of the day.

Like she wants to crawl inside of him and never leave.

She busies herself with changing back into her shorts and top, pulling the bag from inside the small shrub and locating her clothing. She shimmies the towel from around her chest and lets it fall to the dirty ground with a wet plop.

“Bakugo!” Todoroki hisses behind her, and she feels lanky limbs immediately surround her bare flesh and pull her close, just as she'd bent down to retrieve her shorts.

She jolts from the dual sensations on her sensitive skin, her weakened hands coming up to grab onto his forearms, “ack! The hell? I'm trying to get dressed.”

“You're going to give me a heart attack...” he says, sounding like she'd punched him in the gut.

“You've already seen everything!” she barks out. “What's the issue?”

“What if someone saw you?”

She laughs in his face and hip checks him away, ranting at him while she puts on her clothes, “chill out! No one is around.”

“You don't know that.”

“Tch! What, you fuckin' jealous or something?” she's pulling her shirt over her head without a bra and then securing her shorts, flip flops last to go on her feet.

He shakes his head and comes towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist, grabbing her ass and pulling her into a sweet kiss.

Her heart is not beating fast. Her mouth has not gone dry. His passive face does not make her even more weak in the knees.

Gah! Damn Todoroki!

She feels a flush flow through her at his gentle behaviour as she leans into him when he kisses her again.

When he pulls back, he locks gazes with her, tone low, “I don't particularly like the thought of anyone getting to see you like this.” He runs a hand through her curls and tugs them a little bit, making her mouth drop open slightly. “Especially now that I've gotten my mouth on you...” he's nuzzling her forehead, laying kisses all about, but his words are filthy and make her breath catch.

“Huh..? See me like what?”

“Your tits are all red and swollen right now...” he hums against her ear, “my marks all over your skin.” She gasps as he crowds her up against a tree, his grip on her ass allowing him to hoist her up and place her legs around his waist. “I'm not entirely sure what I would do should someone see you like that right now...that's not really a game I'd like to play. Murder in the first degree.”

“That's...” she stutters, her mind frozen, crimson eyes a little wide.

She makes a sound, but it's strained, his blunt words sweet yet dirty at the same time. How he was so easily able to embody a sexy, cool and confident presences, while also remaining aloof, was beyond her. But she digs it. Maybe too much and in her present condition, her hormones were making a serious comeback the more Todoroki kept touching her.

She's got to get her head on straight, dammit!

When she'd told him to just let loose, she hadn't realized just how much he'd been holding back until now.

She gulps and shivers. How the fuck can she still be horny after cumming so many times!?

“I'd like to play a game...” she accidentally purrs, but decides to roll with it anyway.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, it's called 'stick it in me and rail me against this tree', big boy...” she hums, her voice full of so much heat and promise. She's kind of joking, her exhausted, overused body already protesting...but, there is another part of her that wants him to give it to her good. He hadn't even had a chance to cum himself. There is some opportunity here...

But Todoroki actually startles into a laugh at her bluntness, like he's not the fucking KING of being blunt, the bastard.

“What the fuck is so funny?!” she growls, on the defensive and feeling embarrassed. Why is he laughing at me?

He spins her around and chuckles again, not answering her questions at all and making her a little dizzy. He kicks up her pack and gross wet towel with his foot and catches it in his hand and throws it over his shoulder, all without loosing his gripe on her, carrying her weight.

She bonks him on the head as he starts to head up the path that would take him to the main cabin, where the other trails were, “you listening to me asshole?! Quit ignoring me!” Her hands start to crackle, but she keeps the blasts tiny in her palms, more a warning than anything else.

“Oh trust me, ignoring you is entirely impossible...”

“Tch!” why does that shit make her feel so warm?

He's getting much too smart with her, she decides. She needs to put him in his place. Fighting dirty has always been a go-to tactic for her, because it means she wins and gets what she wants.

He's still carrying her, so she wraps her forearms around his neck and giggles evilly into his left ear, laying a wet kiss against his scar as she went, his bangs tickling her chin. “Todoroki...” she hums.

“No. I don't like that tone...” he says, his mouth frowning, hurrying forward in his steps, but he's just teasing. “Too ominous.”

“Mhmmm,” she purrs, nosing up the shell of his ear. “I wanna ride you raw, baby...”

“That...is exactly what I meant,” he says, sounding tense and strained. Like the air had been sucked from his lungs. “Jesus...” he mutters, his face a little red. His muscles strain and he freezes in place, his fingers dig harshly into her bottom and he hoists her up again and kisses the life out of her, making her moan at his aggression.

God, the things he does to her...

He is holding her so hard that she's sure any second now he's going to slam her against another tree and do what she'd asked of him. She's panting and ready when he pulls away, but he's gently placing her back on the ground, his hands shaking as he steps back and releases her. “I think we need a time out...before we do something we shouldn't...”

“Ha! What? Gettin' all shy again, hah?”

She tries to sneakily wrap her arms around him again, but he sidesteps her in a hurry, making her snicker as he tries to escape her, and vaults up the path. She cackles and gives chase, both of them rough housing and pushing each other, like they are back on the obstacle race from First Year on the minefield. But this time, it's full of grins and banter, laughter and lewd looks. She mischievously grabs at his boner and he pins her to a rock formation this time, telling her to behave, his blue eye fierce and vibrant with arousal. Tone low and heated and fuck...fuck, she wants his cock!

When they finally do make it back to the main cabin, the meeting point for all the trails, this small awkward air befalls them.

They both hover in place, smack dab in the middle of the dirt enclosure, the massive cabin with a set of ten wooden stairs a little off to the right of them, and then further over, the trail leading to her own place...

She glances at her trail quickly before turning towards him, feeling out of place and wishing that her clothing had pockets, so she could stuff her hands inside, to quell her anxiety. Instead, she crosses her arms over her chest, biting the inside of her cheek.

She narrows her eyes at him, his face completely blank, hiding everything. She must scrutinize him for too long, because he's shuffling and handing over her bag and towel he'd been carrying.

“Here...”

“Right...”

Fuck this awkward crap!

She grabs the bag and holds it in front of herself, like some dumb, lovestruck moron who couldn't put together a couple of sentences. Word sticking in her mouth, wanting...fucking needing to say something!

What the fuck!?

Why the hell can't she just say the words on her tongue?

Come back with me!

She'd held those same words back earlier too.

She's a fucking hypocrite! Demanding Todoroki to take what he wanted, do as he pleased, man the fuck up...scolding him earlier and calling him out...

Yet, here she was...not able to return the favour.

She scowls and she watches Todoroki's eyebrows furrow in confusion at her harsh look. He opens his mouth to speak, but she beats him to it.

I ain't a fucking coward! She's scoffing a sound at her self in annoyance and snatching his hand, pulling him along towards her cabin without a single word.

She hears him make a small sound, but she pretends to ignore it. Keeps her head down and moves forward, hiding her red face, her bursting heart. Wondering if he'll pull away. That anxiety flaring up again.

She feels so much relief when his cold fingers wrap securely, comfortably, around her smaller ones. Intertwining and giving her a reassuring squeeze as he follows along.

'you might wanna snag your man soon, Kat...'

Yeah I know Mina, shut the fuck up, I'm trying here!

Why the hell are feelings so hard to deal with?

They are only on the pathway for two minutes before they hear some signs of life, of someone else traversing the trail. They both tense, ready for a fight, when they see crazy yellow hair.

Fuckin' All Might?

Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!

OH NO!

“Shit...” she feels Todoroki tense and mutter behind her and her breath hitches as the pro-hero notices them right away. Giving them no time to escape.

“Todoroki! Bakugo! What a pleasant surprise...” he calls out to them, grinning stupidly in the soft lantern light. “I was out for a stroll and got a little turned around on the paths, heheh. I must say, this place sure is fancy and I ---uh..?”

They both freeze as he takes them in. Their state of dress and their clasped hands. How neither of them could seem to look the older man in the eye, faces a little red. The fact that they were heading towards her cabin, which All Might was sure to have just passed not that long ago.

What the hell is he even doing outside at 2AM for Christ sake!?

Shit!

They hear him cough, his cheeks sucking in, almost like he's trying to hold back a smile or a laugh. His eyes bug out of his head for a minute, before they see realization burst through, then...a bit of a mischievous sparkle.

“Well!” he claps, making both of them jump. “I imagine the main cabin is up this way?”

The both just nod, not knowing what to say.

“Fantastic!” he grins, “I'll just be heading out then.” He's all casual as he walks by them, giving them one of those trademarked All Might Smiles. Hands clasped behind his back. “Have a good evening you two,” he chuckles, twigs snapping gently as he staggers up the path they'd just come from.

They feel the breath puff out of them, the relief instantaneous at the man's retreat without questions.

What..?

WHAT?

Holy shit!

He's just letting them go?!?!?!

“Oh!” he calls out and they jerk again, both standing stone still, “and don't go doing anything I wouldn't do...you hear me?” he teases, winking back at their stunned faces.

...did he just...?

Bakugo feels her mind splinter, quiet and calm for three seconds before her brain catches up, and her stunned anger just claws out of her, “WHAT THE HELL ALL MIGHT?!” she roars, already scurrying up the path to the man, but she's caught in lanky limbs as she struggles. The pro-hero just laughs at her, snickering and waving nonchalantly over his shoulder, bidding them goodnight again. “GET BACK HERE OLD MAN!” she shouts, but he's already out of sight.

Holy fuck she's fuming.

She's still ranting, embarrassed at getting caught from someone she saw as a kind of father figure. Todoroki just pulls her along, stating, “be thankful it was him and not Aizawa.”

“I...” she says, freezing for a second in thought.

...cause yeah...Aizawa would ...have been scary.

What? She's fucking tough as nails! Hard as shit! The best fucking ever...

But...even she knows that Aizawa is...not someone to be messed with.

“Fuck!” she whines, suddenly grateful. “Hurry the fuck up! Go!” and then she's pushing him now, both hands on Todoroki's back as she struts forward, getting him moving. “Before anyone else decides to take a stupid fucking two in the morning walk!! Like what the hell was he even doing out here anyway?”

Todoroki just continues to casually stroll along, like he didn't have 150 pounds of Bakugo Katsuki shoving him to go faster, “maybe he was just checking on you?”

“Tch!” she scowls, but she glances over her shoulder anyway, with a warm feeling in her chest.

Her and All Might have always been complicated. But, he was her Hero, always had been. Even more so now that she'd gotten to know him, grown to care for him, had learned all his secrets.

Came to check on me?

It fills her with a fondness for a man on a declining clock. All Might was living on borrowed time. The last remains of his One for All power laying dormant, giving him more years than his damaged body would otherwise usually be able to handle. The man's own stubborn will refusing to leave this earth without finishing his quest for securing a new generation.

It makes her think of the future, with wonder and anxiousness and happiness for the new challenges that she would face. But, without him. Without All Might. No more teachers and staff, no more dormitories and classmates. No more mock battles or tests or examinations. Moving on from old mentors to new ones, stronger ones, but more and more dangerous foes. No more kid-glove treatment. No more safety nets.

She was looking forward to it, while also dreading it. Getting comfortable was always a double-edge sword. Living her life with these people the last few years makes graduation and going out into the real world bittersweet. It's what they've all dreamed about since they could remember. But, it's also hard to leave people you've gotten attached to.

She thinks about Mina and that stupid photo album she'd made for the class. She hadn't looked inside it, not wanting to see the last three years immortalized in clear, colourful pictures as she hasn't really dealt with all those complicated feelings yet. That sweet and sour lump in her throat preventing her from taking a look.

She would, eventually. Just not tonight.

...or today, actually, as it was almost two in the morning.

With her sadness, though, comes longing. She glances at Todoroki's back, remembering that not everything would be coming to an end. In fact...in some cases...things were only just beginning.

She gets lost in her head, so much so that it's not until they reach her cabin and she sees Todoroki retrieve a hidden knapsack from behind a tree close by, that she does a double take.

She stops dead in her tracks as Icyhot just casually walks over and scoops up his own backpack hidden from view. He tosses that over his shoulder and then casually saunters towards her veranda. She hears him mutter, “opps, I wonder how that got here..?”

...is he for real right now?

Is she fucking surprised?!

“Are you serious right now?!” she shouts, stomping closer, disbelief written all across her face.

The fucking nerve of him!

“...a complete mystery...” he says airily.

“I thought you said you didn't know I was at that hot spring!” she accuses, “you were fucking following me! Liar!!”

“I didn't actually know you were at that spot. By that time, I wasn't trying to find you any more.”

She narrows her eyes, crosses her arms, “but...you were trying to find me before that?”

He nods, gesturing around. “Started here, then worked my way down. Left my bag in case you came back. Searched for a while and couldn't find you. Then a little later I stumbled into the same area on my way back up another trail and heard the water splashing...only to get the shock of my life when it's you and you're naked.”

She can't help but snicker, “you face planted that water so hard you almost knocked yourself out. Loser! Surprised you don't have a face print, ahaha!”

He gives her a barely-there cough, small shrug, playing aloof. But she sees right through his bullshit.

“Bastard,” she seethes, pursing her lips. “Pretty fucking brazen to come here in the middle of the night with your bag! Like, try to be a little more subtle! How do you know I would even let you in?!”

She's not even going to get into the matter that she had, in fact, waited almost an hour outside in the rocking chair, wondering if he would show up.

“Oh, I was pretty sure you'd let me in...” he claims.

“You treat me like ass all day, make me feel like shit and then thought you could just come here and everything would be cool?”

“I...” she sees his eyebrows furrow. “I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I...was lost in my head...”

“You fucking snubbed me a kiss!” apparently she is not as over that as she initially thought. It had stung. She's forgiven it, but it still smarted.

“I did?” he's tilting his head, looking confused.

HAH?!

“What do you mean? Yeah! On the damn beach? After we messed around on the water...before you melted your dumb ice.”

“Oh...uh, you were trying to kiss me...?”

“Sss---” she's feels her hands crackle, willing herself to calm down. When she takes a deep breath, “uggggh....” she just face palms and pinches the bridge of her nose. Meanwhile, Todoroki is scratching at his chin, trying to recall when she had leaned in for a kiss.

She's glaring when she smacks him in the side with her bag, “ow!” hitting him at just the right speed and momentum to make him go careening into the railing of the wooden stairs and out of her way, “god, why do I even like you, ass-face!”

“Huh...ass-face, that's a new one.”

She stomps up the stairs and slams open her door, throwing her bag onto a chair in the makeshift kitchen. She hears Todoroki scuffle about outside, before he's righting himself and following her inside, she having purposely left her door open.

She pretends to be mad, but there is this smirk threatening to wash over her face at his behaviour. She must be just as much of a nut case as him if she found his antics cute.

She finds the light switch in the main room and turns it on, illuminating the small fireplace and camping stove. There are two sets of chairs and a small table right next to the wood by the fireplace, a small refrigerator and ice chest further down the room passing the bathroom.

“Wow...this is...interesting,” he comments when he finally gets inside, shutting the door and taking a look around. “Rustic...and...wooden...” he says intelligently, scrunching his nose, “dusty...”

She rolls her eyes, “city boy.”

He hums and sets down his knapsack on the large bed sitting by a rather big window. The curtains pulled across the glass to allow a full view of the area. The window gave a nice view of the outside, small fire pit and private hot spring visible from inside the cabin, the sea of trees and flowers and soft lanterns seemingly glowing in the night.

“You hungry?” she questions, nodding towards the small fridge when he turns to her. She's starving! Hot dogs and energy drinks were not her go-to choice of dinner meals and had left much to be desired in the way of healthy calories.

“What do you have?”

“Good question,” she mutters. She takes a few minutes to check over the cabin, having done only a quick glance earlier that day. Todoroki busies himself with changing out of his swim trunks and into a pair of black sleep pants while she rummages around.

She tries not to stare at him, but it's a lost cause. She's hungry for food...but somehow...she's still hungry for something else.

“How about ham sandwiches?” she blurts out after taking stock of what the resort had left her. She's trying to distract herself from her lewd thoughts, forcing herself to look away from him and his bare toned ass flexing into a pant leg. “That's all I've got the energy for at the moment.”

“Sure, sounds fine to me.”

She makes the food while he crouches around the fireplace, throwing in a few logs from beside it. He uses his quirk to light the wood and the dim cabin sparks to life.

They sit by the warmth and eat in silence for almost ten minutes. They don't exchange words, but sit shoulder-to-shoulder on the floor, a soft blanket draped across their shoulders.

Todoroki's collecting their empty dishes and moving them off to the side when she hears his low tone, “thank you.”

She glances away, feeling embarrassed, “it's just a sandwich.”

“No, I mean, for inviting me here tonight,” he corrects her. “Especially since I was acting like a fool today.”

She scoffs, “it's whatever. I'm over it now. Besides, sleeping in the same room as some of those idiots...well, I don't wish that shit on anyone.”

Todoroki hums and huddles closer to her, “I think I would have had the place to myself, actually...everyone seemed to have their own plans. A lot of the class brought tents and decided to camp out instead of sleeping together in the cabins.”

She shakes her head, covering her mouth when a huge yawn overtakes her, reminding her that it's close to 3AM now and all the extra energy that had been afforded to her from the energy drinks was now gone. “That don't surprise me in the least. Bunch of horny bastards...” she gripes, even though she herself, was one to fucking talk.

“I wonder if Aizawa knew what he was doing when he let us all have free reign of this place.”

She chuckles and holds in another yawn, turning to look at him, “what..? That half the class would be fucking like bunnies for most of the trip? Yeah, I'm pretty sure he realized. But like, at what point do we start getting treated like the adults we are now?”

She watches his lips twitch, like he's holding back a smirk and she cannot help but remember those same lips and what they'd done to her a little while ago. The way his eyes had darkened while he'd knelt between her thighs, how he'd had this crazed air about him while she'd melted in pleasure.

'I want to take my time now, want to hear every sound you make...'

Her eyelashes flutter and she feels her face heat up, her mind replaying the events at the hot springs, making her squirm.

God...why had she ever waited to let someone do that to her...she has no idea. But, then...she really couldn't picture anyone but him doing that to her in the first place. He's basically been the exception to all her unwritten rules and everything he did seemed to ensnare her more and more.

Her mind is spinning, a slew of memories crossing her mind.

'Got something for you...' those damn cookies, always haunting her and being reminded of them in the weirdest moments.

'It won't kill you to take a few pictures with me...' that day at the photo booth, she remembers so clearly how he'd made those silly funny faces. How they'd laughed until they cried while trying to recreate those damn poses. How he'd kissed her cheek and she'd returned the favour later that day. His stunned face as she'd ran towards the bus.

'I can carry your books for you, I don't mind...' that day she'd been on little sleep, but he'd just been there, worried over her wellbeing, all up in her space. Just wanting to spend time with her, to help her out. She remembers how later, he'd brought her soup and those dumb tarts and how her heart had literally burst out of her chest when they'd finally shared their first kiss.

'Come to the formal with me'  and his little candy gram jelly bean whatever the hell. She remembers his hopeful, earnest face as he awaited her answer. The way she'd stuttered and hadn't been able to speak, just kissing him in answer.

How could she have ever thought, even for a second, that this shit wasn't something real?

Thump Thump...Thump Thump...Thump Thump...

Todoroki...

She feels like he's put a spell on her or something.

“What are you thinking about?” he mummers, his face leaning down close to hers, nose nuzzling against her cheek. It makes goosebumps flush across her skin, the hairs on the back of her neck raising when he palms the side of her throat with his cold hand, drawing her even closer.

Her eyelashes flutter again and she licks at her lips, feeling her throat suddenly run dry as his intense expression makes her feel needy and vulnerable.

Instead of answering him, she sits up and kisses him soft and deep. Not even knowing what to say...or how to convey all the things she's feeling in this singular moment, with him sitting by her side, in their private little world.

As they engage in a languid drawl, she crawls into his lap to straddle him in front of the fireplace. Wrapping her arms around his neck, mouths wet and passionate as they take their time. When she feels those strong arms wrap around her in return, she feels her lips tremble, her emotions getting the best of her.

She wants to tell him to always stay close. To never leave. To be with her always.

She wants to tell him all the different ways that he drives her crazy, that she's never met a more infuriating person in her entire life. But at the same time, how she can't bare the thought of him to not be exactly where he is right now. Wants to tell him that she misses him when he's not around. How she thinks about him all the time, that he's never too far from her thoughts.

She's not too good with these kinds of words, but she tries to convey with her actions just how much he means to her.

Katsuki breaks the kiss between them to grab the bottom hem of her shirt to pull the small fabric off and over her head, tossing it away somewhere. Her ruddy, marked chest bouncing delightfully in his face from her position on top of him.

She hears him groan, his face already nuzzling between her tits, hot and cold hands coming up to run enticingly on the bronze skin of her back.

“You don't play fair,” he accuses, but he doesn't sound so bothered, with his face already stuffed in her cleavage, bangs tickling her sensitive skin.

“I distinctly remember you not playing fair earlier...” she bites back, smirking. She grabs the strands on his hair and pulls, making him arch back and away from her skin with a gasp. “You also should not have shown me such an obvious weakness Icyhot, now I can't help but want to exploit you...” the fact that Todoroki always got so hot and bothered by her naked skin was one of the biggest ego boosts she's ever had.

How many girls would kill to be in this position right now?

From all the gifts he'd gotten on Valentines Day, she'd wager it's a damn lot! She wonders idly, maybe a little jealously, of how many girls have already gotten the chance to have him this way. His love life had always been a curious speculation among their class.

From the way he conducts himself in bed though, she'd bet it's been a few.

Pfft, none of those loser bitches even matter anyway! He's here with me! Not any of them extras.

'Don't worry, Todoroki's too smitten to be led astray'  comes Mina's voice in her head.

That's right, you stay here with me Todoroki...all for me...I want all of you! Give me everything you've got pretty boy!

“I recall you having a few weaknesses of your own,” he tuts back at her, giving her a dastardly stare from behind his scar while he licks his lips, her hold on his hair possessive.

She refuses to blush as his insinuations in regards to earlier at the springs, so she bares her teeth and gives him a vexing stare, gritting out “then I guess we are a perfect match.”

He must like what he hears, because they are kissing frantically a second later. Mouths mashing together wetly. Todoroki slides her to the floor on her back, the soft blanket underneath her as the embers continued to roar in the fireplace to their left.

She shimmies easily out of her shorts and before Todoroki can blink, she's pushing at his sleep pants, releasing his hard cock into the heated air. He keels over her as she slowly strokes him, feeling him trembling on top of her as she pulls him even closer. He's panting hard, but then so is she, biting and sucking at his neck. Hands gliding up and down his bare shoulders to the back of his skull, fluffing up his shaggy hair.

He looks so damn good like this, all horny and shaky for her, looming over her with his tall, toned frame. She's not sure how they went from eating sandwiches to all of this, but she's loathe to try and figure it out now. Not when she's got him right where she wants him.

“Bakugo...” he whispers out, face crammed against her own neck, his breathing hectic.

“I want you inside of me, baby...” she mewls in his ear, wrapping herself around him, legs coming around his waist. She can feel his hardness slip against her wet folds and she gives out a small moan herself when she feels how hard he is. “God...I want you...” she growls, biting her lip and arching against him, just to feel him teasingly slid against her slit.

“I...I won't last...” he pants, nuzzling the side of her head. She can't even see his face right now, but that's okay. He's gotten all shy again, but she thinks she likes these two different sides of him.

“...'s okay,” she slurs, feeling every muscle in her body tense and ready for him to enter her. “Jus' wanna feel you...”

“Are you sur--?”

“Of course I'm sure,” she hisses, digging her nails into his back, making him jolt forward. His cock smacks against her nub and she hisses out for another reason. “Don't say such stupid things!”

He doesn't give her a reply. He rears up and wraps his arms underneath her, to hold her bottom up and position her at a better angle. She spreads her legs even further, hands grasping onto the blanket for some purchase.

When she gets a good look at his face, she feels all those butterflies that annoy her endlessly fizzle and burst into warmth and fondness. His mismatched stare is so heated when they lock gazes. He's looking at her like she hung the fucking moon. Almost a little in awe as he took in her spread out form below him.

She's trembling a bit herself, those pesky emotions flaring up again as she studied him. She glances to the side, feeling her face flush a deep red, but Todoroki is just diving down, capturing her in the sweetest kiss. He shuffles himself on top of her, fully covering her. Both his arms holding her backside upright, for a perfect arch against him.

They are still kissing when he finally pushes inside of her. The slide wet and easy and in no time at all, his balls are sitting flush against her ass.

She squirms against him, arms wrapping roughly around his neck and pulling him into a thousand kisses. He's groaning softly into her mouth, sitting still inside of her, either overwhelmed or he's trying not to cum like he'd said he would.

She giggles a little bit when their lips part, “how does that feel? You like being inside me?” Bakugo can't help but tease him, he still just looks so stunned it's actually funny.

“Yes,” he hisses out, his eyes clenched shut, “very much.”

“Mmmhmm,” she hums, words slurring in her desire, “then show me how you fuck, tough guy.”

“But you--”

“Don't worry about me,” she rasps, her voice hoarse. She so desperately wants to see him loose control. To see that perfect composure finally crack. Wants another glimpse of the guy from the hot springs. Wants him to feel even a fraction of the pleasure that she'd felt from him earlier. “Just fuck me good...” she whispers into his ear, pulling on his hair and thrusting his face into the side of her shoulder.

He breaths hot and heavy into her ear and it turns her on so much that she cannot help but thrust against him, his cock feeling so good inside of her already. He groans low and deep and she gasps out a sound of her own in return, his tone sending shivers through her.

Finally he begins thrusting for real, slow and steady, but it's not long before he's got a good momentum going. She melts back into the blanket and clings to him as his hips begin slapping against her hard.

It's not a perfect fuck.

The angle is a little off because of their position and it's messy and raw. Both of their hearts are beating frantically and she's sweating so much because of her quirk and the fireplace, that the blanket is sticking to her back uncomfortably. But...it's all moot in the face of him inside of her. He's groaning out her name huskily and he sounds just as devastated as she feels.

Besides...it's their first time together and like, sex ain't supposed to be pretty.

His grunts are damn sexy.

The way he just lets himself go after a while, pounding into her helplessly. He's so into it, into her, that he's running on auto-pilot, getting lost in the moment and just letting himself feel.

He's jerking her into his arms not long after, his movements so quick that she scrambles to wrap her arms around his neck, legs tightening around his waist. She's straddling him again, both of his hands squeezing her ass as he starts to pound into her like a jackhammer.

“Fuck! Fuck!” she hisses, the angle changing and his thrusts hitting her just right. He uses that impressive strength of his to bounce her on his cock and she's crying out with every hit, voice splintering as pleasure spiralled higher and higher. She feels drugged, wet and messy and amazing. “Perfect, you're perfect,” she sobs, too far gone, locking lips with him sharply as he gave it to her good.

He can't keep this pace for long. Soon, he's gasping, gasping, gasping. Shudders wrecking havoc on him as he goes tense and silent and mindless. Like his orgasm is so good he cannot breath. He shakes a couple more times and she feels his release filling her up, her breath hitching when she feels her cunt become even more wet that she'd thought possible.

When he finally comes down, he forces her to the floor with a growl. She makes a startled noise, but he's already slapping her thighs apart and nosing between her juicy folds, lips sucking on her clit and making her cry out desperately. His aggressiveness has her cumming helplessly only a minute later, already too keyed up from how well he'd been fucking her for the last little while.

He flops down on top of her after that and she grunts from the weight, but she cannot even move at the moment anyway. “Fuuuck...” she breathes, working up the energy to run a sweaty, comforting hand through his hair. He mutters from on top of her, but his face is mushed into a pillow and all she hears is a jumbled mess of syllables. She can already feel the mess he'd made between her legs, his cum seeping out of her and running down the inside of her thighs.

It's gross and will need to be dealt with, but for the moment, she's content to stay in place.

Damn...

...we actually just did that..

They get cleaned up a little later, throw on some loose clothes and then flop together in her big bed.

There is nowhere in the world she would rather be than right here, next to him.

She's running her hand over his face, tracing his scar and the shape of his nose. His eyes are closed and his breathing has finally come back to a normal rhythm. She pushes his sweaty bangs from his eyes and lays a soft kiss on his lips, his breath stuttering out of him as he snuggles against her.

“...that was...” he hums, but trails off as a sleepy yawn overtakes him.

“Yeah...” she agrees, her tone just as soft. Even with how quick the sex had been, it had still been intense.

She's always scoffed at her friends and how lovey dovey they always acted around their partners. Mina and Kirishima were horrible. Always rubbing noses and cooing at each other. She's always thought it was silly and that she'd never in a million years act so goddamned sappy. But...here she is...finally understanding her friends for the first time as she takes in his happy, sated expression.

“...even though, it was not my intention to do that with you tonight...” he teases, his blue eye opening and giving her a knowing look. “I seem to recall telling you so at the hot springs.”

She smirks, giving him another soft kiss, “yeah well, something you should know about me is that...I always get what I want.” She's practically joking, pretending she's got a big ego, but he's smiling at her anyway, like he already knows this about her.

He completely derails her, though, when he glances down, closing his eye again and whispers, “there is nothing in this world that I would deny you, Katsuki...if you would have me.”

She gapes at him, for his words, for the use of her given name...all of it. For his insinuations and his hidden meaning. Her mind breaks and she's not able to say a damn thing as she chokes back an emotional sound.

She panics big time for like two entire minutes. It's damn embarrassing. Why can't she say anything?

“Todoroki...I...”

When she finally works up the courage to say something, anything, she's opening her mouth to speak...

...and she hears his breathing even out, and just like that, he's passed out cold against her.

...

...what?!

She glares half-hardheartedly at him for like fifteen seconds, “seriously?” she whispers, sighing.

Is he really just going to drop a bomb on her like that and then pass the fuck out?!

Why yes...of course he was.

...because that was just the kind of shit Shouto Todoroki did.

“Ugh...” but then, she guesses...that's what she enjoys most about him. “You dork...” she chides, to his sleeping, peaceful face.

My dork.

She tries to sleep, her body completely exhausted after the day she's had, but his words leave her heart and mind floundering. In good ways though. In ways she wished came as easy to her as they seemed to for everyone else.

It makes her think of the future again.

She can picture everything so perfectly in her head.

Running around Endeavour's Agency, causing mayhem and chaos, while also kicking ass and taking names out on the field. Coming home to each other after a long day, relaxing and embracing the domesticity of home life. She imagines on their days off, Todoroki dragging her around Tokyo to strange knick knack stores or taking her out on dates to extravagant restaurants. Bickering with him about eating soba for three meals a day and slumping into their bed at the end of a long day. Waking up to him every morning.

She thinks about inviting him over for dinner at her parents place, who...apparently had already thought they'd been dating. Todoroki had obviously already made an impression on them, the few times he'd met them when she'd been recovering in the hospital last summer. But still, her parents are nuts, but...she kind of wants him to be a part of it all.

She thinks about meeting Todoroki's mother for the first time. Being introduced as his girlfriend. Or how she wants to make a good impression on his father, to contribute her talents and skills to his Agency and show him just what kind of Hero she wants to be.

She feels her mouth frown, wobbling a little bit at her sappy thoughts. Todoroki makes a sound and snuggles closer, nuzzling her and muttering, “Kat-sue...” in his sleep, making her shake her head in fondness.

She finally finds sleep like this, holding him in her arms, his warm breath puffing muggy and content against her. Thoughts of after graduation simmering in the background.

She thinks that everything might actually work out to be okay.

When she finally does wake again, it's almost lunch time the following day, soft sunlight glistening in through her open curtains.

It bathes her body in a warm glow and gently caresses her to wakefulness. The window by the bed is open and the sounds of birds fluttering and chirping in the humid air greets her.

Barely awake, she nuzzles into the pillow she's currently using and sleepily opens her crimson eyes, glancing out at the lighthearted scenery she can see from the window.

She stretches lazily, her mind playing catch up until she remembers that there should be someone else there with her.

“Todoroki?” she mutters with question, voice hoarse and sleepy. She doesn't feel a warm body behind her, something she distinctively remembers feeling before she'd fallen asleep hours ago.

She frowns and turns towards the other side of the bed, wondering where he's gone off too. He might just be taking a piss, she tells herself, when her mind immediately thinks the worst.

But, when she turns over, what greets her makes her breath catch in her throat.

On his side of the bed, there are many small flowers sitting neatly in a bunch on his pillow, looking to have been picked recently...and from around the area too. Reds and blues and whites, all his colors, lying innocently in a small bouquet, a pink valentine card lying delicately on top, the words hidden on the other side.

He must have gotten up early to pick them all. She recognizes them from some of the plants around her cabin.

She springs up on her elbow, her lip wobbling a little bit in her haste to grab the card, her hands skirting over the soft petals a plenty.

'I want to wake up next to you like this every morning...

...even if you snore like a banshee emerging from hell'

Her mouth drops open in shock at his written words, her soft, fond gaze turning wild and pissed off in a matter of seconds. She feels her blood start to boil and she's sneering ugly words down at the valentine.

“Fuck you Todoroki!" she screeches into the air, wanting to throw something. “How can you be so fucking sweet and such a dick at the same damn time?! I don't snore asshole!”

“You think I'm sweet?” comes Todoroki's smooth, teasing baritone drawl and she's a damn loser for how she jumps in shock, not having realized that he was here with her.

She jolts in surprise and bursts from the bed, on the defensive, hands raised for a fight. But when she realizes who she's looking at, she charges forward. “I don't snore!” she reiterates, coming up to him. He's in the next “room”, sitting in front of the fireplace and reading a book. How she hadn't seen his big, tall ass presences in the first place, she has no idea!

She ignores the fact that he's sitting in the place that they'd fucked at last night. Flashes of their intimacy railroading over her angry thoughts.

Those damn flowers. That card! Grrr. She blames them for her misstep.

“How would you know, you're asleep when you do it,” he points outs. Glancing at her all innocent from under his bangs, while she towers over. His hair has gotten longer and he's got that shaggy look to him a little bit, from his bedhead. Making him look devastating in the late morning light, sitting poised with a book in his hands, in only black sleep pants, his chest bare. Like there isn't a small curve to his lip or his eyes aren't twinkling in mirth at her reaction to his surprise for her.

“I know I don't snore, because I've recorded myself sleeping before, so nice fucking try!”

“Huh...” he hums curiously, lying his book across his lap. It's telling that he doesn't think that's a weird thing for her to do. “That's a little vain. But, not unexpected.” She watches him purse his lip, “say...you don't...record yourself doing other things, by chance...do you?”

Her eyes practically bug out of her head, “are you asking if I've made porn before?!”

“Well...”

“Hell no! Do you know what would happen if that shit got leaked!?”

“True...”

“What kind of shit conversation are we even having right now?!”

“It's a perfectly valid question,” he grins, egging her on.

“Jesus. You're a damn kinky bastard aren't you? What other crap do you fantasize about in that dumb head of yours...”

“Lots of things,” he smirks, giving her a heated look. “Maybe some day we can try a few of those ideas out.”

No...hell no, it's too damn early to get horny already!

'There is nothing that I would deny you, if you would have me...'

“UGH!” She huffs, glaring, pretending that his roaming eyes are not putting her on edge. “I take it back, you're not sweet, you're a bastard! I hate you!”

“See, even I know what that means in Bakugo speak...” he says, gracefully standing from the floor to his full height. He places the book on the small eating table and saunters up to her.

“You don't know anything!” she bites out, just for the sake of it.

“Oh...” he drawls, sizing her up, “I think I know lots of things about you by now, kitten...”

“Don't even start with that crap already!”

This shit is ridiculous! He starts the day off with this sweet as hell gesture and then turns the tables on her and makes her flustered as fuck.

"Start what? I was merely reading my book..." he claims innocently, but he's anything but. 

She sighs and turns back to the bed, trying to ignore him and his tricks. She spies the dainty flowers again and moves to scoop them up, the valentine lying forgotten farther down the bed. She means to place them somewhere safer, so they won't get crushed, but Todoroki is suddenly cupping her hands in his own, the flowers spilling out of their joint palms.

He locks gazes with her and she gulps, “you like them?”

“Yeah...” she rasps, unable to lie anymore.

“Good.” He's giving her a small smile and she's frowning up at him suddenly.

“You don't have to do that shit, ya know...” she mutters.

He tilts his head, “do what?”

She motions to the damn flowers, scowling at them, “this! Like...stuff like this, I don't wa—I mean, I don't need it! So you don't have to keep doing it anymore.” She places the flowers on a small nightstand and crosses her arms over her chest.

“Don't be ridiculous,” he deadpans, knowingly stealing a line that she always says to him. She glowers at him and his lip twitches, “why would I stop when it's clear that you like it so much?”

“I don't like them!”

“Yes you do.”

“No! I don't!”

“You're not a very good liar Bakugo,” he says dryly.

“...and you're...you...you aren't a very good...whatever! I'm going to take a shower! So buzz off!”

“Of course, All Great and Articulate One,” he says in a deadpan.

“Shut up! You're annoying first thing in the morning.”

"It's practically noon."

All he hears are her teeth grinding at his banter as she storms towards the bathroom.

“...can I join you?” he impishly askes. 

“No! GET BENT!” 

'SLAM!'

He does, indeed, join her.

Rat bastard!

They fuck again in the shower, all languid and slow under the warm spray. A luxury they can't really have back at the dorms, with the very public bathing rooms. She cums by her own fingers and Todoroki's lips mouthing on her neck from behind her as she leans against the tile of the shower.

It's not as clumsy and frantic as last night, but it's still just as good. Leaves her sated and shivery for a long while afterwards. Todoroki complains about wanting to last longer, but she couldn't really care about that. They will get there, eventually. Everything is still so new between them that it's perfectly normal for them to fuck like uncoordinated bunnies for the first little while until things simmer down a bit.

Besides, seeing him come undone for her, not able to contain himself and his reactions, is all the satisfaction that she needs. 

Todoroki freaks out a little bit later while they are getting dressed to head out, having a mini panic attack over potentially getting her pregnant because they hadn't used condoms. Well, the Icyhot version of a freak out anyway, where he stands frowning and broody, muttering nonsense under his breath.

Reality had apparently caught up to him finally.

She leads him on for a good couple of minutes, because 'too fucking late for that dumb dumb, twice over too!'  But, she takes mercy on him, rolling her eyes and telling him that she's on the pill and to 'calm the hell down for Christ sake'.

Tch! Good thing girls didn't leave this sort of protection up to men. Fucking hopeless bastards, the damn lot of them. Hmph!

They grab some lunch and then spend the rest of the afternoon checking out the resort. They hike up a few trails, leading further and further away from the main area and find a bunch of caves that they spend a few hours exploring.

Somewhere around the end there, she accidentally invokes a cluster of hellspawns of Satan in one of the caves when she gets a little too curious.

She had used her quirk to hover high towards the ceiling to get a better look at all the different stalactites, only to shriek like a idiot when the light from her explosions had spooked a family of bats.

They'd scattered and flown all around her. She'd blasted from the cave like the devil had been chasing her, leaving behind Todoroki in a real life game of “every man for himself!”

Fuck those things! Gross! Hell no! Bats are fucked!

He definitely hadn't teased her endlessly about that since. To the point where she threatened to blast him to the moon if he didn't shut the hell up. He'd snickered, pretending to console her when he'd caught up to her, promising to protect her from the dastardly bats, reassuring her that he wouldn't tell a single soul about her apparent affinity for cave dwelling animals. 

Snarky bastard! She'll show him!

Later, they grab some fishing gear and she can't hold back her revenge when Todoroki utterly fails at casting the lure out into the ocean, grumbling to himself and trying not to pout when he sucks.

She makes fun of him, but also teaches him how to properly cast and after a few tries he is successful.

He gets it, eventually. But she mocks him endlessly about being a city boy.

Also, she catches two nice looking fish that she plans to cook them for supper, so, she's pretty happy about that.

Todoroki looks utterly shocked when she tells him this as she's inspecting her catch. They are sitting on a high dock a little ways out in the ocean water. They'd initially come out to this spot because it had been marked on their maps as one of the main fishing areas.

She can now see why, it's perfect for this kind of activity. There are lots of edible fish around right now.

“I never knew you were so into the outdoors,” he comments, as she digs around in her fishing kit for some wire cutters and a small knife she'd stashed in there. She'd also grabbed a small cooler full of ice and a net.

She's getting to her knees and positioning the bottom part of the net in the water, off the wharf, “yeah, my family did a lot of camping when I was growing up, so I spent a lot of time outdoors.”

“So...you said you were going to cook these...how...exactly are you going to do that? Do you cook them whole?”

“Oh my god, no!” she snickers. “Gross...I would not recommend eating any kind of fish without first bleeding it and then cutting out the insides...ew...”

“Bleeding...it?” he questions, looking very very confused.

She takes a glance at him, holding up the knife with a criminal smile, “you...might want to look away.”

His eyes widen and she takes the knife and slides it between both of the fishes eyes one-by-one, killing them instantly. Then, she grabs the wire cutters and flips up their gills by the head, cutting both sides and throwing them into the water, inside her net, while the blood drains from them.

She leans off the dock and cleans her knife and cutters, turning back to Todoroki whose mouth is slightly open. She can't help but laugh, “what? If you don't bleed them...then they taste too fishy.”

He just gives her a wild look, he'd clearly not been expecting her to do that, “aren't they...supposed to be fishy?”

She sighs, tutting out “city boy," while also shaking her head.

Once the fish are bled, she places their bodies inside the cooler, making sure to completely cover them with ice for transportation. Todoroki watches her like a hawk, like he's completely entranced in her little fish lesson.

They pack up and head out, traversing the paths for almost twenty minutes to get back to the main cabin, where the shacks are that they'd gotten the fishing equipment from.

Fortunately, they hadn't run into any of their friends for the entire afternoon during their exploring. She's kind of happy about that, having enjoyed all the time they were spending together and not wanting their bubble to be burst just yet.

When they finally do make it back to her cabin, it's around dinner time. She gets Todoroki to start the fire pit outside by the private hot springs, while she goes inside the cabin to get a few things.

He's got the fire going already when she reemerges, heading over to him and setting everything up next to the fire for ease of use.

“Here, chop these up, medium sized pieces,” she hands him a cutting board, a small knife and a couple stocks of carrots, celery, potatoes and green onion. He stays silent for a little while as she kneels on the dirty ground, laying another cutting board on a sitting log.

“So...what do you have to do now?” he asks, sitting down next to her once he's gotten the vegetables cut up.

“Now we gut the things and fillet them,” she says. She pulls the cooler over and takes out one of the fish, setting it down on the wooden cutting board. She can't help but roll her eyes, “some people, like weirdo fucking Deku, eat fish with the head and eyeballs attached...that shit is damn gross...so we ain't gonna do it like that. I prefer to actually enjoy my fish instead of having it stare at me...”

"Does he really?”

“Oh yeah...” she gripes, scowling down at the fish. She grabs her fillet knife, “him and his Ma! My family and I went camping with them a lot when we were younger and that's how his mother always prepared their fish.”

“Who taught you how to do this?”

“My Pops,” she hums, then turns to him, to show him what she's doing. “You start with the belly, use the knife to cut from one side to the other, for a cleaner fillet. Like this...” she cuts a perfect line into the fishes belly and opens it up, to show him the guts inside. “See, this makes it way easier to clean.”

Todoroki scrunches his nose when he sees it's insides, “I see...”

“Wanna give it a go with the other one?”

“Uhh...” he looks as if that thought terrifies him. She's snickering at his misery.

“Come on! Don't be a chicken shit! It's not that bad. Trust me, it's gonna taste amazing!”

“Right,” he saddles up to her and takes the knife, removing the second fish from the cooler and giving the belly a clean cut despite the look on his face.

“There, see, that wasn't so bad...” she tells him, grinning. “Have you really never done this before?”

He frowns, “well...no...my family was never really big on...camping...or, family bonding time in general I suppose.”

“Oh...” and shit! That had been lame of her. She'd forgotten that Todoroki hadn't grown up with a normal childhood. That he'd basically been locked away in his home, training with his overbearing father, with no mother to be seen. “Shit...I didn't mean...”

“Don't worry about it, I'm over all that stuff now...” he claims, brushing it off, “sooo...show me what else we need to do.”

They spend the next fifteen minutes preparing the fish. Cutting out the guts, it's head and slicing out the bone. She throws the fillets into two cast iron skillets and sets them next to the burning fire, layering them with vegetables, butter and a few spices and herbs that she'd found inside her cabin.

They sit side-by-side next to the fire and their cooking food, while she mulls over the thought of Todoroki and his shitty childhood.

“So, like...is this your first time in the outdoors?”

He nods, “pretty much. Though, other than the trips we've gone on during our time at U.A, this is basically my first time camping.”

“Huh...and this isn't even true camping either...not really...”

“Isn't it?”

She pokes at the food in the steaming skillets, turning the fish over so it can cook evenly on the other side, “nah, we have indoor plumbing for one thing...and we're not sleeping in a tent. That's real camping, in my opinion...but, for a starter...this isn't so bad as a first time experience.”

He arches an eyebrow, “if you have no indoor plumbing, then...where are you supposed to go to the bathroom at?”

She giggles evilly at him and gestures around to the forest surrounding them, “well...take your pick, the world is your bathroom.”

His mouth drops open, “hell no...”

She cackles at his affronted look, her eyebrows moving up and down, “whaaaat? When you gotta go, you gotta go...”

“No.”

“Awh! What? Never dug a hole and took a shit leaning awkwardly against a tree...?”

“NO!” he jerks, sitting up straight. He gives her a vexed look, “have you?!”

“Ahahaha! Yes!” she then bursts into laughter again. “Oh my god, you should see your face!”

“That's disgusting,” he sniffs, pompously.

“Well, like I said, that's real camping...also, most places have an outhouse, so...there is that option as well...”

“Ugh, that's...even more less appealing...”

“Don't worry,” she grins, nudging his shoulder. “Stick around me long enough and I'll have you shitting in the woods like a pro.”

He gives her a deadpan look, his tone as dry as sand, “over my dead body.”

It just makes her crack up again, especially when he tries to scoot as far away from her as possible.

They stuff themselves silly with fish, to the point where a food coma starts to set in and they laze about in front of the lit fire pit. Todoroki pulls her into his lap once they've finished eating, wrapping his toned arms secure around her midsection as the warm evening air starts to dim and turn dark.

She feels him hum into her hair, where his face is buried, “well, despite my initial concerns, you were correct, that tasted fantastic.”

“See! I told you so.”

She has to agree. She feels like she'd outdone herself this time. It had been a few years now since she'd had the chance to catch and prepare a real live fish. While she was no slouch in the kitchen, she was happy that it had all turned out as well as she'd hoped it would. Considering it had been a spur of the moment idea.

Getting to share this experience with him as well too, also went a long way in making everything just that much sweeter.

The fire crackles in the darkened air, fire lighting up both of their relaxed features. They hear the crickets and white noise of the forest. The soft whisper quiet breeze and the landscape lost to shadows.

She's been staring into the fire for a little while now, deep in thought when something occurs to her, “ya know...when we finally graduate, we should do some of that stuff you didn't get to do as a kid.”

“Oh...?” she can feel the small smile against the back of her head, like he's pleased with her train of thought, “like what?”

“I dunno...” she shrugs, thinking. “You ever been to an arcade?”

“A few times, with Midoriya over the years.”

“Hmm, what about an amusement park? Ever been on a crazy roller coaster? Ate a candy apple? You'd probably be all over those things! I know how much you like trying to give yourself diabetes after all.”

He's absentmindedly playing with one of her hands, his tone a little bittersweet, “no, can't say I've ever gone to an amusement park before.”

“Hell ya! We need to do that one for sure! I'll kick your ass good at bumper cars! I'mma legend!” She slips her fingers between his own, “oh! What about paint ball?”

“Never done that before either.”

"You haven't lived until you've shot someone who annoys you in the face with a paint ball gun, I highly recommended it." She's then pouting a little bit, "stupid Pikachu won't even come with us anymore..."

He chuckles, "I'll keep that in mind."

“Kayaking?”

“No.”

“Rock climbing?”

“...no...”

“Holy crap!” she growls. “I have half a mind to punch Endeavour the next time I see him!”

Todoroki chuckles, “I think you might be too short for that.”

She growls and turns in his arms, flicking him in the forehead, “tch! I ain't too short!”

He hums, his tone teasing, “are you sure you can even go on the rides at an amusement park? I thought I read somewhere that you have to be a certain height and all that...”

She rears up with a noise, “the hell you say?! I can go on whatever ride I want, Icyhot! You watch me!”

“Hmm, I'm not too sure about that...”

She barks out a laugh, grabbing at his chin so he's eye level with her, “fucking tall enough to ride you, aren't I?”

“Mmm, that you are,” he drawls, his tone low and heated all of a sudden.

He's leaning down to kiss her, both of them making out against the backdrop of the fire for a little while, just basking in each other. It doesn't really escalate past harsh nips and tongues, but she feels breathless and panting for it either way when he pulls away. Todoroki's running his cold hand through her hair, pulling her close, so she can lean against his shoulder.

She feels sleepy, but also content.

“I'm serious, you know...” she tells him a few minutes later, words whisper soft, her crimson eyes glancing up and catching with his own. “Can't have you going out into the big bad world without enjoying some of the finer things in life. There is all kinds of stuff we can do. Places I can show you that I think you would enjoy. So, prepare yourself! After graduation, when we get the time, I'm gonna take you on the Katsuki Bakugo Exclusive World Mother Fucking Tour! You won't even know what hit ya!”

She watches as a hundred different emotions pass through his colored eyes, like he's trying to contain his reaction to her declaration. She hopes that she's not overstepping or thinking too far ahead, considering graduation was still quite far away. But, something about Todoroki not getting to experience, well...anything fun while he'd been growing up, didn't sit right with her. She feels like it's her duty now to make sure he gets to do those things.

Plus, she wants to. Wants to share those experiences and make memories with him later down the road.

Finally, he gives her a small smile, a little line on the side of his mouth. He's got that fucking look to him again, like she'd hung the moon. Like he cannot believe she's real and sitting in his lap right now, talking to him about their future plans, “you won't hear any complaints from me.”

“GOOD!” she's nodding aggressively, already planning in her head all the different activities and events that she can take him to do. All the different stuff she'd done as a kid, wanting him to experience as much of it as possible. “We can even invite your Ma, she's getting out the end of this year, right? Or your siblings? Whatever the hell you want. The world is yours, Half-n-Half!”

He's shaking his head at her determination, toned arms manhandling and squeezing her hard, making her screech and try to get away when he accidentally tickles her a little bit. “Okay, that sounds...perfect...”

“Of course it's perfect!” she rasps, her hands clenched into fists. “Who do you take me for? A chump?! I always have the best ideas! So don't you ever forget it, you big dumb dork!”

“Of course,” he nods, his fondness for her shining bright. He kisses her deep again, pouring himself into it, letting her know just how much he appreciates her thoughtfulness.

They spend the rest of the evening creating plans and talking about the future.

She might as well just give up on her heart ever beating properly again...

...because when it comes to Todoroki? Well...she'd stand in the way of anyone who would try to take him from her. Do everything in her power to keep him happy and smiling.

She's fallen for him.

But, then...is that really so much of a shock?

No, it's not.

You're mine now, Icyhot.

Better get fucking used to it. 

Chapter Text

It’s funny.

At the beginning of the trip, Todoroki had been so worried about keeping himself in check around all their friends. Had felt self-conscious and unsure of how he was now supposed to act with her, considering this newfound energy between them. Not sure what liberties he was allowed to take or if they should be keeping everything on the downlow.

Maybe…if he’d just asked, they could have avoided that entire debacle. But, eh! Lesson learned, she guesses.

Loser.

What’s funny is that he shouldn’t have even bothered…considering…they ended up spending most of the trip alone with each other anyway! Really…it’s a damn miracle, is what it is. A miracle that she suspects has more to do with luck, than anything. Once they got to her cabin, they don’t run into anyone else. No one bothers them, surprisingly. Other than a few check-in texts from some of her friends and a couple class group messages from Aizawa, who had seemingly disappeared from the area with Present Mic and All Might.

So…Shouto and his fretting? Had kind of been for nothing.

Then again, had that not happened…then everything else after…might not have as well.

But whatever…

She’s embarrassed about how the both of them had been freaking out about one another at the beginning…when their worries really hadn’t mattered at all. They’d spent the next few days sequestered in her cabin, discovering each other and enjoying the subtleties of domestic-life. The days had been spent in a well-deserved bliss, neither paying much attention to the passing of time or the realities of the real world.

Having this much free time was kind of surreal.

But spending that time with someone else? Without wanting them the fuck off because they were driving her loony…weeelll…that was an entirely different matter.

It's not until the final night at the resort that their friends come looking for them.

Their peace was not meant to last.

Kirishima giving her only a thirty-minute warning by text message, bless him, before Kaminari is leading the charge through the forest encampment towards her cabin around dinner time. Todoroki was passed out cold in one of the rocking chairs on the veranda when Bakugo hears loud, boisterous voices homing in on their location from the trees.

Like a stampede of loud and obnoxious elephants!

Why are these people her friends again?

“KAAAAAAACHAAAAN!!! WE'VE FOUNNNND YOU!” calls Kaminari’s annoying voice as their cluster of friends break through the forest and catch her exercising in the front yard.

No escaping them now.

“Yipee!” she growls, loud enough for them to hear, cracking her knuckles and neck, working out the kinks.

“Awwh!” bemoans Sero, “okay… who tipped Kat off, she’s way less pissed than I thought she would be!”

Kirishima remains conspicuously quiet on that thought.

Bakugo can’t help but snort as she takes care to dust off her clothes, a blue t-shirt crop-top and dark dirty skinny jeans. “Couldn’t fucking resist, now could ya? Do you have to bother me, even on the last night?”

“Suck it up, Princess!” Mina snickers, winking at her and relocating towards the unlit fire pit while everyone just starts invading the surrounding area. Glasses, Momo and Tsu were not far off, their Class Rep muttering under his breath about the different species of plant life that had decided to grow around the campsite. “Oh wow!” Ashido gushes, pointing at the water, “you never told me you had your own private hot springs!”

“Tch, maybe there was a reason for that, hah?” she banters back.

The pink girl pouts, “you’ve been holding out on us! Look at you, living the highlife of luxury. Super jelly!” But then she’s putting her hands on her hips, sharing a heated look when Katsuki sees Mina glance over at Todoroki. The pink girl arching an eyebrow and smirking when she notices how exhausted he seems. Ashido flails dramatically like she’s going to say something…and Katsuki bares her teeth, clenching her fist in a warning as they have this ridiculous silent conversation.

Fuck, this was a bad idea, letting them all corner her like this.

Especially MINA!

“Come on you too,” Kirishima grins, shaking his head as he breaks off from the pit and makes his way up to her. Sero and Denki are already fighting over the big red cooler they brought. Bakugo eyes the redhead warily the closer he gets, especially when she sees that sharky smile. He seems mischievous and her lips purse when he gets in her personal space. He’s quick and grabs her in a rough headlock, a typical greeting from him, and she immediately starts trying to break free of his aggressive hug. “Ash is right though, we let you hide out for a couple days, you can’t blame us for wanting to hang out!”

“Yes I can!” She snarls childishly and launches a counterattack at his roughness, consisting of curses and blasts from her palms. Naturally, Kiri’s quirk repels them easily and he ends up teasingly ruffling her messy curls, making her have to physically kick him away with a well-placed foot to his gut, just to gain some ground.

She grins in victory when she gets a hit on his solid flesh.

Katsuki comes for him while he is coughing and trying to catch his breath. She’s fierce and ripe with strength, and Kiri giggles, backing up and blocking her punches, smirking at her. “I’m just messin’ with you Kat, don’t go all feral on me! Rawr.”

“Fuck. You!” she hisses, sticking her tongue out and adjusting her hair. Not like it really makes a difference, with the damn humidity up here. Her hair is a disaster right now.

Kirishima is still snickering at her, “yeaaaaah, been there…done that…”

She splutters at his teasing and shoves him, hoping that he trips and falls and dies.

He doesn’t, sadly, and only continues to laugh in her face as she retreats to be a wallflower against her cabin, already in need of a breather against half her classes onslaught.

Yeah, some friends that she has here…real winners, all of them.

Bakugo suddenly feels all the abrupt white noise around her invade her senses. With the arrival of the group, there is small chatter everywhere. Hustle and bustle. Laughter and banter. They all ransack her cabin and the space around it. Making themselves comfortable in her company as only they knew how, given her prickly nature.

Shit!

They’ve swarmed her!

She slumps against the outside of her cabin and breathes out a sigh, crossing her arms and gives in, pouting. It was just much easier this way. She’s learned over the years that there is no stopping it. No escaping her friends when they put their minds to something.

Stubborn bastards.

“Uhhh…is he okaaaay?” chimes Pink Cheek’s voice once they’ve had sufficient time to set up camp around her land. The smaller girl is gliding from one foot to another. Bakugo turns to her and notices that both her and Deku are now crowding around a sleeping Todoroki…

…who hasn’t moved so much as a muscle in all the commotion. Like…wow…

You just gonna leave me to fend for myself against these bastards, Todoroki? Hah!? You… asshole!

Katsuki had tried to wake him…fuck did she try. Seriously…if he hadn’t been breathing, she might actually think he finally bit the dust. But he was just so conked out that nothing had worked to rouse him.

He’s such an idiot…ugh.

“He’s fine, just…tired…not used to camping and shit,” Katsuki finally replies, wanting to be as vague as possible. Damn, she’s really trying hard not to smirk at the thought of just why…Todoroki was so tired in the first place.

They… had both been a little wild these past few days alone together.

The smirk is physically threatening her as she thinks about it all.

I’m gonna give myself away at this point if I don’t get my face under control!

Todoroki has certainly been…enthusiastic.

More enthusiastic than she’d expected, but also…damn…she’s already getting a little hot under the collar thinking about what they’d been doing together. Todoroki was kind of a freak, but fuck…if she didn’t find that ridiculously hot.

She is brought out of her lewd thoughts when she hears an obnoxious snort from behind her, “he’s tired…ha, yeah… I’m sure that’s it.”

Bakugo glares deadly daggers at her pink friend, who was giving her quite the salacious look, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as she sets up her boom box beside the sitting logs. “Blasty, um, um…can I talk to you real quick?!” she hurries out, her raccoon eyes glittering. Obviously wanting all the juicy details.

Fuck, my face musta slipped.

Stop being so goddamn obvious Mina!

Katsuki is not blushing.

She isn’t!

“No!”

Mina stomps her foot, but then she is bounding over to her with a twirl as her music finally starts to play. She is latching hard onto Bakugo’s arm, fucking death griping that shit like she wants to pull the damn thing off! “Ow, what the hell?!”

“Oh, come on! You can’t leave me hanging like this. It’s been almost two days!” She is practically drooling and Bakugo wonders if the girl had purposely brought all their friends down here so that she could give her the third degree. Last time she’d seen Mina had been at the beach party, that first night. It was that same evening that she’d run after Todoroki through the trees when he’d bid them a goodnight, hell bent on giving him a piece of her mind for his hot and cold behavior.

It isn’t surprising that her friend is foaming at the mouth, considering how things had seemingly progressed between Bakugo and Todoroki in only a few short days. Especially since Katsuki had only given her vague messages about the situation through texts since then.

But…really?

Pinky was just a drama Queen.

Was into Twitter and Instagram and making stupid Tik Toks and had a social following of millions. She lived for this kind of juicy thing, the gossip and secrets. Especially when it concerned the people who were closest to her.

Nosey bitch.

Ashido ducks her head, giggling, whispering to her as they watch their other friends take turns poking the out-cold bastard, getting progressively more creative with their attempts when he doesn’t even flinch. “Eheheheheh….Blasty, he’s looking right strung out! What did you do to him? Ahahahah…” she is then giving the blonde bedrooms eyes, her gaze knowing.

Katsuki feels her nostrils flare, her face is redder than a tomato!

She is damn lucky that no one really seems to be paying their argument much attention.

“What haven’t I done to him?” she accidently blurts, feeling awfully smug about it all.

“Eeeeeiiiii! STOP! YOU GOTTA TELL ME EVERYTHING-!”

Katsuki just shoves her away, “shut up before you blow our cover, jesus! Go away before I never tell you anything again!”

“Fine!” the girl harumphs, hip checking her and dancing away again. She turns around as she heads towards the fire and gives Bakugo a hard glare. “This isn’t over,” she is motioning with her pointer and pinky finger at her alien orbs and then towards Katsuki, like an ‘I’ll be watching you’ “Don’t think for one second that this is over though…” the pink girl threatens.

Katsuki rolls her eyes, “I wouldn’t fucking dream of it,” she snarks back, knowing that Ash would get what she wanted. No matter what. It was a curse…but fuck if that girl wasn’t her best friend. So, she puts up with it.

She hates it sometimes.

But not really.

She is about to turn away, when she notices that Mina’s reaching for her music collection, “and I ain’t listening to your shit hipster music either, Pinky, so forget it!” she hollers over to her again, just to have something to bitch about. But also? She hates that girls music. “Either put something good on or don’t bother!”

“Awhhh, no fair! I just got this new CD!”

Tch!

She overhears Deku make a concerned sound and Bakugo’s attention diverts once again as she heads back towards the others all crowding around dead-to-the-world Todoroki. “I can’t believe he won’t wake up…” the nerd laughs, tilting his head and pointing. “That can’t be good for his neck.”

He is referring to the fact that Todoroki, like an idiot, has fallen asleep leaning back in the rocking chair. Neck stretched awkwardly against the back of the wood and in such a way that she just knows he will be sore when he wakes up.

She can’t help but snort at the icy bastard, he looks ridiculous, “serves him right for falling asleep in the first place!”

Jirou saddles up to them all, poking Todoroki in the forehead, the others giggling as he remains oblivious, “huh, I guess that answers that mystery.”

Katsuki frowns, “mystery?”

“Yeah, we’ve been wondering where he’d gone off too,” Ochako chimes in, snickering again when Jirou starts to poke half-n-half repeatedly, lightly pinching his cheeks. He doesn’t budge. Not even one bit and that smirky smile is wanting to burst out from her again. 

He’s like…Sleeping fucking Beauty or …or something as equally gross and sappy!

Ack!

He is …stupidly fucking pretty though.

I’ll give him that much!

Even if he’s literally drooling right now.

Gross.

But…also not.

“Has he been here this entire time?” Kirishima questions, suddenly right behind her, like a ninja.

Fuck, when did he get so close?? Damn Shitty Hair. Sneaky fuck!

 She barely contains her jittery nerves when Kiri continues, “Midoriya said he’d gone off on his own, but…guess he had other plans? You actually let him stick around? That’s…weird…and not like you…”

She keeps from flinching, barely. But he’s caught her off guard. She turns to him and waves it off, “you know how he is,” she shrugs, turning and pointing at his dead body. “See! He just shows up and does shit like this and won’t leave! Look, they can’t even wake him up…”

Kirishima laughs at the situation, “poor Todoroki, I never realized this trip would tucker him out so much, “ and…and it sounds like he’s fishing for something, even though not in actual words. He’s still raising a suspicious eyebrow at her…which she promptly turns her nose up at, his sharky mouth pursing to hide a grin at her reaction.  He tilts his head, looking her up and down, like he’s puzzled …but has suddenly caught on to something being amiss. Gracefully, he doesn’t say anything more and lets her slyly change the subject. 

“Hey Earphones!” she yells towards Jirou, “make sure Pinky doesn’t put that rap crap back on again! I hate it! Pick something you’d listen to!”

“On it, Captain,” the goth girl grins, acknowledging the hidden compliment on her music tastes, apparently having grown bored of trying to rouse Todoroki. She is giving her a cocky salute, before slinking towards an energetic Mina.

“Don’t call me that!” Bakugo roars, when the nickname sinks in, feeling a little flustered with Kirishima’s now almost impossible scrutiny. He keeps glancing between them, his eyes shifting from Todoroki, to her, and then suddenly to Pinky over his shoulder when he gets the silent treatment.

She just knows that Ashido is somehow giving her away, dammit. Things are too suspicious.

Fuck.

Her classmates may be idiots sometimes…but they weren’t actually dumb.

In fact, most of them were far too clever for their own good!

Hates them, hates them all.

Mina set her up, that bitch! She just knows it. ARGH!

It’s all part of her mastermind schemes! Bakugo still isn’t 100% convinced that Ash hadn’t somehow orchestrated this entire thing with Todoroki and his valentines idea. But she still hasn’t been able to get any proof of that, beyond asking her and reading her face when she reacts.

“Whatever, just leave the guy alone,” she grumbles, trying once again to change the subject. “He’s such a wuss when it comes to the outdoors, come on…” She motions behind her and then slinks towards the now lit and crackling fire, hoping that all the others fluttering around Todoroki will follow her lead. “Did’ja know he’s never shit outside before?”

“Ewwww… Bakugo!” Ochako groans, while Deku only giggles. But just like she’d hoped, they both follow after her and over towards all their other friends, leaving half-n-half in peace. Kirishima lingers back though, putting his hands on his hips and giving her a smile.

Katsuki pretends she doesn’t see it. But she gulps anyway…

Kirishima always was the one who could read her best.

They had dated after all.

Shit, he fucking knows! She sighs, scoffing when Kirishima just gives her this handsome, toothy grin when he catches up to them.

How many more would know after the night was out?

Ugh…probably fucking all of them…my luck is just that shitty when it comes to these losers.

  Whatever. It’s whatever. Maybe…maybe I want them to know, anyway…huh? How about that?!

The campfire is a little cramped with all the bodies, but they make do.

Kaminari and Sero already have twelve wieners roasting away at their end, stuck in the ground with metal skewers provided by the resort. Massive red cooler sitting behind them, top open, with tons of fresh fruit and water bottles. Jirou and Mina are fretting over the music and puttering around in Ash’s disorganized CD bag. Tsu is perched in a tree, checking out the wildlife with binoculars. While their class REP, accompanied by Momo, is taking a thousand pictures-a-second of the beautiful aesthetic of her cabin’s landscape.

Everyone comes together naturally after a while and an hour quickly passes by in a flash.

A constant chatter and banter amongst them all as they bask in the setting sun and the warm embers. A sense of peace befalls them all as they eat their fill of fruit and dogs, conversation kept light and low to keep the ambiance.

More than once she catches herself staring at Todoroki from her seat in-between Momo and Tsu, wondering how the hell he’s still sleeping. She’s daydreaming and getting lost in her head, thinking about the promises that she’d made to him and of their future plans. All these different ideas that had been popping into her mind the last few days. Where she wanted to take him and what they might do once they get there.

But also…the subtle promise of an after…

A future.

After U.A.

For them.

It was something, at least.

Was Todoroki even thinking that far ahead?

He’d seemed perfectly happy and content letting her fetter on and on about all the different things that they could do together after graduation. Not once had Shouto seemed uptight or shifty when she would talk about the future. So, she doesn’t understand why she has this little niggle of doubt that won’t sit quiet right in her chest.

For Christ sake, she scowls harshly to herself, all I’m doing is overreacting again. Todoroki wants me to be his girlfriend, he’s just an idiot and needs some time to actually figure out how to ask!

They’ve only been seeing each other for a little while now, she shouldn’t even be thinking this way. It was perfectly normal to take things slow, this early in.

But she’s always been impatient…and…if Todoroki is to be believed, they’ve been dancing around this little back-and-forth for a lot longer than even she had realized. So, really…she doesn’t feel like she’s being eager at all, considering how long they’ve known each other for.

Maybe she’s just jealous too, who the fuck knows? Or maybe she just wants bragging rights, of snagging Todoroki, most infamous bachelor from Class A.

She remembers all those girls from the mall, swarming around half-n-half like vultures, tugging and pulling at him like some desperate flies on shit. All the people who’d given him things on Valentines Day or who would randomly ask him out, sometimes in front of their entire Class. It was so often too, that it got to be a game amongst all her friends. Trying to guess what Icyhot would say this time, to gently let the admirer down and say he wasn’t interested. Where Katsuki sneered and scowled at most boys and girls who came close. Todoroki was grace. He always let those people down, sure…but they left still feeling good about themselves at least.

Ahhhhhhhh!! Is he trying to find a gentle way to let me down? If he thinks it’ll be that easy to get rid of me—But she cuts herself off, knowing how outrageous and absurd she was being.  She’s spent the better part of two years trying to curb those random thoughts of low self-esteem, of not feeling like she was ever good enough. She refused to let herself dwell on thoughts that just…really didn’t even make sense anyway! Just her insecurities and anxieties playing tricks on her. It ain’t like that! He ain’t like that…

A picture flashes in her mind, of Todoroki’s soft mumbled words a few nights ago against her shoulder, ‘…there is nothing in this world that I would deny you, Katsuki…if you would have me…’

Katsuki feels her face explode in red. Heat rising inside of her like a whistle train at max speed.

Holy Fuck. Does he even know the shit he says sometimes?!

She crosses her arms over her chest protectively, trying to quell all those stupid feelings inside her chest or prevent the butterflies in her stomach from bursting out of her and combusting everywhere. Stop being such an idiot! Pull yourself together! He’s gonna ask, I just gotta be patient! I’m being an idiot!

If there is one absolute fact she’s certain of, is that Todoroki had gone to an awful lot of trouble to pursue her. For far longer than she initially realized. With quite a bit more planning and effort put behind it than she thought him capable of…if she’s being honest. But, then again…he’s always been resourceful and reliable in other, more dangerous ways.

She’d just underestimated him.

She’s grinding her teeth and glaring so hard at Icyhot that she catches the attention of some of their friends.

Well, someone in particular…

Kirishima is giving her that look again, like he is endlessly pleased with something. Her crimson eyes meet his for a quick second and she’s immediately glancing away at being caught staring at Todoroki, her cheeks flushing just a bit.

Oh yeah…he definitely knows that something is up.

Suddenly, all their side conversations are interrupted by a startled snort, so loud that all at once, they jump, on high…HIGH fucking alert.

…

…

…

They all tense, waiting and wondering, if they would be attacked at any second. Call it PTSD or whatever the hell you wanted…but, there were too many times over the last three years that Class-A had literally been jumped in unknown territory by villains.

When there is a bit of a wooden scuffle, they all turn towards the veranda of her cabin and …and when they realize the reason for the sudden noise, it’s like all the anxiety zaps out of them at once and they all sag against one another in relief.

Todoroki is staring bleary-eyed at them, slumped in the rocking chair as he tries…and fails, to sit up.

He looks like a goddamn turtle! PFFT!

He is clutching at the back of his neck, his expression dopey and confused, before rubbing lazily at his cheek with his right hand. “Uhh…?” he mumbles, blinking dazedly at them, a crease furrowing in his brow in his confusion at seeing a party going on around him. “…is this…a dream?”

Utter silence greets him.

Seriously?

All the adrenaline, the fight, rushes out of her and she…she can’t help it! She’s bursting out into a harsh cackle, pointing an accusing finger at him, as she hollers over to him from her spot at the fire, “they’ve been here for over an hour! How the hell did you not wake up ‘til now?! You’re such a space-case!”

He just gives them all a hazy deadpan look, staring them down with his dopey expression, blinking stupidly… “soooooooo…?  not a dream then?” he finally says again, frowning.

She snorts hard, “yup! Typical!” and the gross sound sets off some of their friends. Their laughter is contagious and before they know it, they are all laughing their asses off and making fun of half-n-half for a good while, as he tries and finally does regain his bearings a litter later. Making his way over to the fire and slinking in-between Katsuki and Tsu after all their comments. They giggle and some try to console him while the rest of them grinned and teased him ruthlessly.

He just pretends they were all beneath him and it amuses her so much. His prissiness. Turning his nose up at them while munching on some food and letting the conversation trickle back to something else. The King of Composure himself.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Icyhot whines in her ear, decidedly less composed, as the conversation changes topic and everyone stops paying him all the attention.

She can only smirk at him, “I tried! They tried! You were dead to the world.”

He gives her a dull, unimpressed pout as he slices a piece of apple with a small knife, “hmph”.

He looks like a snob.

It makes her start to cackle hysterically again, “you were drooling and everything!”

“Lies.” Slice. Crunch. Chew. Disapproving stare.

“Mina said you looked ‘strung out’ ” she teases, giving him a heated look and a once over. His shaggy, shoulder length hair is a mess, red bleeding into white, his bangs slightly curly without his hair straightener and days of humidity.  Not like her rats nest was any better. Most of their friends were in similar states, too.  “Tuckered out from all the rigorous activities? Can’t handle it, hah? Feelin’ a little tired, there, half-n-half?”

“ ‘m not,” he argues, before yawning absurdly a second later, following it up with a sleepy glare in her direction when he realizes her meaning.

“Sure you aren’t…” she snickers and pretends he isn’t glowering at her through his heavy eyes.

She tries to control the urge to run her hands through those soft, bi-colored strands, but it’s hard not to when he’s looking so frumpy. “Mina took pictures, I’ll be sure to show them to you later” she smirks, whispering as all their friends talk over one another.

“Ugh…” he mutters, exasperated. She laughs in his face, but it’s not long at all before he’s slumped against her, practically snoozing against her shoulder. He’s got his eyes lidded in a silly attempt to look like he’s paying attention, but it’s clear to any of them that he’s not really present.

“Hey!” she gripes, pushing half-heartedly against his limp body as he sags even more against her side a while later, making her body tilt with his dead weight. “I’m not your sleeping bag! Get off me Icyhot!”

“You get off…” he mumbles childishly, with absolutely no intention of removing himself.

“I’m not a pillow!” she growls, without any bite.

“Yes.”

“What do you mean ‘yes’? Yes what?! Hah!? Are you even listening to me? I said get off!”

“Comfy.”

“I don’t care! You’re dead weight!”

Deku pipes up from across the fire at their commotion, “awh, Shouto, if you’re that tired, you can use my shoulder to sleep on…” the little pipsqueak offers, like the good little hero he is, cooing at him. “I don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind either, Icyblue!” Mina rattles off, winking when Katsuki gives her a glare.

Todoroki, to her surprise, slinks into something resembling a sitting position and just stares dully down at the nerd, like he really is giving his offer some thought. He watches him for some time, assessing, before he’s making a sound, “too bony” and then his lazy gaze floats towards Ashido, “too far…” before dramatically collapsing back into Katsuki’s arms, knocking her off balance again and sending her drifting off into Momo.

“TODOROKI!” she hisses, while her face gets smushed into big boobs by complete fucking accident. Deku is squeaking out “bony?!” while she’s fumbling to get a hold of herself.

“Fuck! Sorry!” she splutters out, embarrassed. Momo can only chuckle at her, the taller girl doing her best to help Bakugo into a respectful position after the blonde had practically been thrown into her. She gives the girl a flushed ‘thank you’ look, before immediately turning to Todoroki as all hell breaks loose.

“DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!” she roars, jumping up from her seat, griping onto his shirt and flinging him off of her with all her strength. He makes a startled hiss as he’s hurled over the side of the sitting logs behind them, to face plant into the unforgiving dirt.

“Ow...” she hears him whine, but she only crosses her arms with a scoff at his behavior.

Their friends are bursting into tears laughing, Ida scolding her to behave. All the giggles are infectious, because she finds it really hard not to grin like a lunatic down at Shouto and his dazed, betrayed face.

Her smirk was getting out of control, but that was because Todoroki will always be, utterly and without fail, one giant ass dork. 

He knew it. They knew it!

Everybody knew it.

It takes a while for them to calm down from that and after, they spend the next hour or so reminiscing.

Todoroki’s silliness making them all go off on a tangent down memory lane. Shouto is back snoozing peacefully against her side, like the bastard that he is. She can’t even get too mad about it, only rolling her eyes fondly when he sneakily crawls back into her personal space with a pat on the back from Tsu.

They talk about other hilarious moments that stuck out the last few years. Aizawa, one day tripping over his sleeping bag as he’d tried to leave class. Mineta, almost drowning in a swimming pool after getting a little too touchy-feely with some girls from another class. Kaminari, letting out a huge fart in the middle of gym class one time after being punched too hard in the gut by Deku.

“Ohh! Ohh!” Ochako belts, giggling. “Remember when Jirou blasted Kaminiari through a window after he asked her out the first time?”

“Bro, he flew!” Sero bursts out and then he and Kirishima are busting a gut laughing their asses off, having been front row and center for that entire debacle, while the goth girl blushes and turns away from them.

They bring up Bakugo’s hilarious moments too, even though she threatens them with bodily harm.

They laugh about her girly shriek last year when she’d blasted herself through one of the common room windows unexpectedly, in front of half the class!  She’d gotten sick with a bad cold early during Second Year. Not only had she felt so miserable that she wanted to die! But it had also affected her quirk for some fucking reason!…because every time she sneezed really hard her explosions would activate and send her flying. She’d been a laughingstock for an entire week at the random, unexpectedness of her outbursts. Aizawa had managed to silence her quirk one time in class too, even, before she got airborne.

Deku had had to catch her on another, in his damn arms, that stupid little punk. Grrr!

She’d been about to hit concrete…so, yeah…she isn’t complaining…because ow!!! But also…

Screw you Deku! She’ll still complain anyway!

How embarrassing. 

They devolve into more stories about various classmates, and even a few memorable ones of the other Hero Courses and those students. Todoroki makes a few comments as well, but remains plastered to her side, slumped like the sloth that he is, trying and failing not to nod off every few minutes.

It’s fucking telling that not a single person in their group even bats an eye at their closeness. Even before all these blasted feelings got in the way, Todoroki was always invading her space. Kirishima and Mina keep giving them quick glances, smiling at her when they catch eyes, but that’s about it as they continues to get drawn into all the chatter.

Her face now has a permeant flush to it, probably would for the rest of the night!  She’s feeling way too vulnerable right now. Too exposed and out in the open. Like all her emotions are on full display. But…she can’t bring herself to be distant, to push Shouto and his endearing softness away. It’s never a problem when it’s just the two of them…but out in the open like this, in front of people? It’s becoming harder and harder to keep her reactions to him on the down low.

Is this why he was questioning how he should act now, when they were around others?

She completely gets it now that the shoe is on the other foot!

He nuzzles against her neck, mumbling something unintelligible and she can’t help but bristle.

She isn’t really paying attention to all the noise around her, too hyper focused on Shouto and the way his chilly breath keeps gently caressing her neck.

Why is he always so damn distracting? It’s like a secret quirk or somethin’…

She jumps in her seat a little bit when Ochako calls her name loudly, waving a hand and trying to get her attention.

"What?” she bites out roughly, annoyed that she’s being pulled back into all their ramblings. There are many sets of eyes on her suddenly and Bakugo feels her mouth already turning into a frown, not liking where this was heading.

“Soooo like, we gotta know…”

Kaminari cuts her off, because he is an overeager bastard like that, “did’ja ever figure out who was sending those valentines to you?” Pink Cheeks doesn’t even seem to care that the blond has railroaded over her, more focused on her answer than anything. 

She feels Todoroki tense next to her, and when she glances down, she sees his lips tilted slightly in amusement. “Yeah Bakugo,” he drawls loosely, his voice thick with mischief, “who was that sending you those things again? You never did tell us.”

Like he doesn’t fucking know!

She glares down at his smug face, just daring him to say something. Katsuki sighs, “why the hell did that even get brought up? What are you numbskulls scheming now?”

“Dude!” Pikachu laughs, “we’ve been talking about it for like five minutes now. Haven’t you been listening to us?”

She glowers at him, giving him a pointed look, “is that a trick question? Of course not.”

Some of the group laugh, while others shake their heads at her.

Kaminari just fake cries, “my heart…” and pretends to clutch his wounded chest and then deflates dramatically onto the dirty ground like a pathetic blob, causing all the guys to crack up. Katsuki rolls her eyes, but she can’t help her smirk at him being such a weirdo.

“Denki, chill man, she’s just not that into you…” Kirishima says smoothly, and the line is so fucking good that she barks out another sound of glee at its cleverness. It sends them all hollering again at the sick burn and Pikachu just does another dramatic enactment of his death.

“Fine! Don’t tell us anything!” the other blond pouts, with his face conveniently mushed into Jirou’s lap. Like a sad, wet lap dog. That smelled. Ew!

“Christ, you’re getting to be as bad as Pinky with the drama and gossip!” she grumbles.

“HEY! No one is as bad as me!” said pink girl yells, finally on her way back from Katsuki’s bathroom with Tsu and Momo following behind her. She’s been letting these fuckers use her cabin the entire evening and she just knows that tomorrow is going to be a mad dash of cleaning everything up and packing up her shit to go home. Damn these little punks she calls friends! They’re messy! “Wait…what am I bad at?” Mina then questions, looking cute and adorable in a pink jogging one-piece. She’s holding that monstrous photo album from a few days ago at the bonfire in her hands and…

“Hey! Did you just change your outfit?”

“Yeah, duh, I can’t sleep here in my regular clothes, Blasty…”

She blanks, “sleep here?!” excuse me?

“Oh yeah!” she giggles, like the pink girl has completely forgotten to let her in on a secret or something. “Did I forget to mention that we’re having a sleep over?”

Something inside her seems to break, before her crimson eyes widen, “like…fucking ALL OF YOU?!”

“SURPRISE!” Most of her friends shout, gleefully rubbing their hands together and looking like a bunch of villains with their ugly mugs grinning at her.

“NO WAY!” and she freaks the fuck out at them for like ten minutes, ranting like a lunatic as everyone gets moving and completely ignores her. Mina’s announcement apparently serving as the catalyst for all of them to get changed and set up shop around her cabin, tents magically appearing as if from nowhere, preparing for their extended stay.

They are all disgustingly efficient and she sits back against the sitting logs in defeat as her threats are dismissed. Was it so much to ask for just one more day of peace and quiet?

She sighs, well…at least they’ve forgotten about those damn valentines again…

It’s her only saving grace.

Todoroki is sitting next to her, now very much awake, sipping on some tea that Momo had graciously made for them. He places the makeshift teacup, a sparkling pink thermos cap, onto the sitting logs and leans one arm on top of it, body angled towards her as he chuckled at her sour look.

They had been left blessedly alone for a few minutes while everyone got themselves situated.

“Do they really all have to camp here?” she complains, slumping against the wood. “This place is going to be such a bitch to clean up tomorrow.”

“I’ll help,” he offers simply.

She scoffs “sure…since you’re the pinnacle of cleanliness. I’ve seen your room a buncha times now, remember? You’re a slob!”

“I prefer disorderly…”

“You don’t even make your bed!” She shoots back, “or do your own dishes!”

“That’s just time management,” he quips.

“It’s sloppy!”

He huffs, taking another sip of his tea from the glittery thermos cap. “Why make the bed when I am just going to mess it up when I get home, anyway? I have never seen the point.”

“…because it looks messy!”

“Who is going to see it anyway?” and he’s making a face, like he’s had this conversation before. Probably with his father, if she had to guess.

“I’m going to see it!” she declares when she can’t think of anyone else.

“Are you?” he smirks, leering at her suddenly, obviously thinking of her in his bed, “even more reason to not waste time with making it.”

“Tch! It’s called discipline.”

He hums against the cup, arching an eyebrow at her, his blue eye intense as they glanced her over, “I don’t think I’ve had any of that for a while now either.”

Katsuki is flushing hard, caught between feeling aroused and irritated at his witty retorts.

“Fuck, you got an answer for everything, don’tcha?”

He just slurps the rest of his tea obnoxiously as she rolls her eyes, “fine, I won’t help you clean up then,” he states impishly.

She barks out a laugh, “like hell you won’t. Just like all these other extras…I’ll drag you back kicking and screaming if you try to escape me in the morning.”

“Oh…?” he drawls, his tone low. She sees that lip twitch. “Drag me…where, exactly? I can think of a few nice places…”

She bristles, his words suggestive, “I meant for cleanup duty! Jerk!”

He chuckles, leaning in closer, both of them nestled against the sitting logs, in a small little pocket bubble of their own design. Any closer and they could be kissing. “Maybe I like to leave some things messy…” he flirts.

Bakugo sucks in a sharp breath, his dirty words having a heated effect on her, her body warming up at the thought of him leaving her messed up.

She hisses at him, “are you trying to get me going, bastard?”

He grins, “yes,” he tilts his head, leaning against the palm of his icy hand. He just looks so pleased with himself and she hates it. “Is it working?”

All he gets is grinding teeth and a vexed 60% glare and Shouto’s laughing at her expense again.

“I’ll kill you…” she growls.

“Scary…” he drawls in a deadpan, but it sounds suspiciously like he’s mocking her.

Miffed, she grabs her own empty thermos cap and flicks it at Todoroki’s forehead. Retaliation for all his clever comebacks that don’t actually annoy her. It lands perfectly with a nice ‘boink!’, but of course…Shouto ruins her satisfaction by merely blinking dully as it lands on the dirty ground. Not phased in the slightest. 

“Tch! I’m too soft on all you bastards. I long for the days when people would run away from me screaming…”

Shout snorts, “sooo… just last week then…?”

Her crimson eyes bleed with exasperation at this point.

Katsuki just sighs, her face still pink…because…whatever!

Unleashed Todoroki was ridiculously lethal against her defenses. Even after spending a few days together, she still reels sometimes at the things he says to her, does to her. Like there was this other side of him that no one knew about. A sexy confidence to him that had been shaped by his time at U.A and the many trials of his life. 

He wasn’t just some punk anymore, but a god damn man and she’d always been attracted to people who could match her. Either with wit or their fists, it didn’t matter. She always had mad respect for anyone who could go toe-to-toe with her.

‘I want you to sit on my face…’ rings in her head, those lewd valentines showing a glimpse of the person behind the indifferent mask. Her first clue that Shouto was not at all how she’d originally pegged him. This entire time she’d thought the guy was a virgin or something, but there was just no way that he had been. It was obvious that he was much more well-versed in these things than she’d given him credit for.

It was a double-edged sword.

She’s just gotten her blood pressure under control again a little later when Deku comes up and asks, “hey Shouto! Where is your tent? I don’t think I saw it anywhere in the area? Where have you been sleeping?”

…and she just slaps a hand against Icyhot’s mouth when he moves to answer. Telling Deku to mind his own business while Mina cackles at her from across the campsite.

Goddamn this is going to be a long night.

It's dark now.

Many many hours later.

The fire flickering calmly and serenely, casting shadows across all of their faces with the disappearance of the sun. A dark tinge painted the surrounding area, their silhouettes fluttering in the limited light. The smoky scent of burning wood and flowers, seeping into all of their clothes.

As the atmosphere finally quiets down to a simmer, Katsuki notices out of her peripheral vision that Deku is gently nudging a brooding Ochako in the darkness. She’d been sitting with a frown, spacing out, for at least ten minutes now with her head in the clouds. “Hey, is everything okay? You've been pretty quiet for a while now...” she hears him ask.

“Oh!” Uraraku chimes, perking up instantly, startled at gaining the attention of everyone sitting around the fire. Bakugo watches as she flushes under all the stares, huffing and anxiously twisting her arms around her bent knees, hugging herself. “Sorry...I was just thinking...”

“Dangerous territory,” Jirou teases, winking at the pink-cheeked girl when she blows out a raspberry at the goth.

Bakugo can't help but laugh, Earphones sending her a cheeky smirk. Most of their friends start cracking jokes and laughing in jest and bantering with each other. But when things quiet down again, Pink Cheek’s is getting a second nudge from Tsu.

“It's just...” and she frowns, sighing to herself. “Something that Mr. Aizawa said to us at the beginning of the trip has been bothering me today…”

“Really?” Sero questions, tilting his head. “Honestly, I thought Mr. Aizawa has been pretty chill these last few days...” His eyes widen though, “actually, it's kinda creepy to be honest. I keep waiting for him to pop around corners with those dry eyes of his...” He's then shivering in revulsion. “Is it just me or have those things gotten even...dryer, lately?” He looks around the camp, “seriously, no one?”

Bakugo rolls her eyes, but Kaminari and Sero start off on a random tangent about the state of Mr. Aizawa's eyes and it was best to just let those two lunatics work it out for themselves.

They aren’t wrong.

Not really.

Their class has definitely taken years off their grumpy mentor’s life.

She really doesn’t know how he puts up with them all.

“What did he say?” Deku's soft voice pipes up from next to her, shyly picking up her hand in his own, averting some of the attention, ever the dutiful boyfriend.

She mentally gags ...but ...also cannot help but quickly glance over, peeking at Todoroki still lounging casually next to her. Their shoulders were touching one another, both leaning into each other, as his entire attention focused on the nerds for the time being.

Dutiful indeed.

She feels a small sting of jealousy spark its way past her defenses, her anxiety skyrocketing when she once again wonders just when the hell Todoroki was going to ask her out.

When ya gonna ask me to be your stupid girlfriend already!? Deku has a girlfriend, you should too, idiot!

Ochako glances up at Deku from her hunched position, and she shifts her doe-eyes around to their little circle of friends, practically making up half of Class-A with how many people were currently present.

Bakugo frowns when she takes note of that, because...Jesus...

At some point, without really knowing when, Deku's friends had meshed with her friends and now, they were this big dysfunctional mess. Of something! She’s not sure what exactly. Good or bad. But they all had a chemistry, an orbit that manage to ensnare anyone who came close, and like it or not, she is a part of this little dynamic.

Class-A had not gained the reputation they had for no reason.

They were all bat-shit insane.

But damn if that didn't make them one crazy team on the battlefield.

“It was when he was talking about the resort...” Pink Cheek's continues, gazing sadly into the fire again. “He said that...this would be the very last trip we took together as a class,” she blows out a breath, ruffling her bangs. “In all the new excitement of Third Year... I... had forgotten that in four months from now we'll be graduating and ...” she trails off, a little emotional. “Gah. It's silly, it's not a big deal. I'm just being ridiculous! Sharing all our stories and experiences earlier just made me think about it…and…well…”

She’s saved in her rambling by Kirishima, “I think I get you ‘chako,” his kind voice reassures the short girl immediately, as he gives her a smile. “It's like...bittersweet 'cause …well, we're finally gonna get to the big leagues, but…to get there, we've gotta say goodbye. Right?”

Bakugo feels her eyes widen…Goodbye? What’s he talkin’ about?

Uraraku nods hastily, her eyes a little watery, the redhead apparently hitting the nail right on the head. “Yeah...I ...guess I'm just scared...or...nervous, I...I... I'm gonna miss you guys.”

Katsuki internally starts to panic, miss us? Where the fuck are we going?

“Ah girl!” Mina immediately springs into action, scuffling across the side of the fire to her and pulling the shorter girl into the biggest bear hug she's ever seen. Ouch…looks like it hurts. But both girls just cling to each other. Tsu getting up and joining in not long after. “I'm so gonna miss you too! All of you! I didn’t realize how attached I had grown to all of you! I totally get what you’re saying!”

Ida hums, his tone thoughtful, as Mina and Tsu coo at her, “there is nothing wrong with being afraid of the unknown Uraraka.” He’s fiddling with his glasses, his own anxious gesture. But his tone is gentle and it does a lot to calm some of the others down too. “In fact, I think it can even be a good thing sometimes …to be afraid,” and he smiles, almost to himself, as he thinks back on his own trials over the years. “To be fearful of change. I too, often find myself wondering about our future. Of all the possibilities that await us.” He pauses, moving to glance to each of them, “But we should not let it paralyze us, or worry us too much, or to cripple. I’ve learned now that each and every new experience, whether good or bad, has taught me invaluable lessons…and I take those lessons with me, using them as the steppingstones to shape my path forward.”

Bakugo blinks, his words resonating with her on a deeper level. She can tell it’s similar for a few others around the fire as well. Gets them thinking.

What is my future? she wonders. Their conversation making some of her own insecurities flare up. What will the next years bring them…? If they had already gone through so much, then where will they all be… five, ten, even fifteen years down the road?

Would they all survive? …and who would be left standing at the end of that road? What challenges would they face…and who would make it through to the other side?

Would she even make it long enough to compete for the spot of Number 1? …or was it all just a pipe dream waiting to be crushed?

Her minds flashes to All Might for a second, and the reality that he now faces.

Then to Deku, with the weight of a generation on his shoulders, and of an impossible legacy. Of an uphill battle so steep, so grueling and full of blood, death and heartache. A path filled with every kind of unknown…all just waiting to get a piece of him.

Would the nerd even make it, in the end?

Would any of them?

Her heart sinks, her chest aching at the thought.

Her gaze snaps to Todoroki, but he’s just staring steadily into the burning embers, eyes hard.

“I know that it’s okay to be scared, I do. It’s just…” and Ochako sniffs, grabbing her attention again. Mina only hugs her closer, her own golden eyes watery as well.  Fuck, why are my eyes burning, what the hell?  “We’re like…a family now, ya know?” Katsuki feels her heart give a lurch at Pink Cheek’s confession, the emotion clear in her eyes. Some of their group perk up, agreeing and murmuring their own sentiments back, apparently feeling much the same. Reassuring the gravity girl and voicing their own versions of their fears. “We’ve all been through so much together…and, somehow I can’t imagine the next step without you guys. I…I don’t want it to be over! Who is going to have my back now?”

Over…?

…the word repeats mindlessly in her head as she battles with herself. Who says…who says that it’s gonna be over?

Why…why would it be over?

What the hell is everyone talking about!?

Why was everyone acting like graduating was some kind of death sentence?

The atmosphere is solemn, each of them sobering up, reflecting on the words spoken. Taking it all in and letting reality settle into their bones, deep and resound.

Most of their group start going off, hearts and fears laid bare, all of them a bunch of jumbled messes as they took turns spilling their guts for the next twenty minutes. 

All of it a reflection of her own thoughts lately. Her own doubts and insecurities on the matter. Not just with school and how it was all coming to an end suddenly. But also, of the future. Where she would go and if she would succeed.

Of her place in all of this. In her quest to become Number 1 and the promises she has made to All Might: to be there to lead the charge with Deku into this new, crazy world they all shared.

Her anxiety over not being good enough, strong enough, capable enough or resilient enough to face each day at 100%. To give her all.  

She glances at Todoroki next to her, who is quietly listening to everyone around him. Stony and silent, his face cast in shadow. She wonders…how all of this will work out. If building a relationship together with another Hero is even possible. Is that something that he wants?

Wonders if it’s something that even she wants.

Would it end in tragedy?

Was she just kidding herself? A heartbreak waiting to happen?

…because life wasn’t fucking fair…as she had become intimately aware of, even in just a short time span during her time at U.A.

Is that …why he won’t ask me to be his girlfriend? whispers in the back of her mind.

She gets herself so worked up, that she’s bouncing her foot on the ground, arms crossed over her chest protectively, like she’s trying to block it all out. Block out all their dumb words and pretend she isn’t feeling exactly how they are all feeling right now.

Everyone is spewing heartfelt gibberish, talking a mile-a-minute. Lots of tears and ugly, gross, loving words were exchanged by all her friends, and she hates that she’s sitting in the middle of this shit fest.

It makes her skin crawl. Makes her want to lash out.

Run! Get out! Get out now! MOVE!

She manages to hold it all in for a good while, the unending ramblings of her group going on around her as her chaotic thoughts made her curl further and further into herself.

Manages to hold that shit in until the very breaking point and still not spill over, until…until…

Todoroki pulls a fucking 180 on them all.

There is a solid ten seconds of sweet…sweet, blessed silence between everyone. Where no one speaks or utters even a sound, and she thinks that this horrible situation is finally going to end… when Icyhot says, “I…don’t really know if I can go back to be all alone…again…”

She gasps!

They all gasp.

All eyes snap towards Todoroki and his sad-as-fuck words…because the hell?!

Sero whistles.

Deku looks fucking shattered…

None of the girls seem to know what to say and Ida keeps opening and shutting his mouth, like he wants to say something but has no sweet clue.

Bakugo catches Todoroki’s expression for a quick second as he stares brokenly into the fire. Then just as fast, he is closing himself off, his face void of emotion, cold.

That pain, his loneliness.

Katsuki wants to scream!

His words were soft, spoken low…but…heard by them all.

Everyone is giving him wild looks, not having expected him to say something so depressing. But it has such a grave tone, that it leaves a bad taste in her mouth. She glances around to everyone’s surprised faces and grimaces, watching them all start to shut down themselves.

Dread starts to sink in.

Why did shit have to get so damn tense all-of-a-sudden?

Her heart is pounding!

…and not in a good way. NO! Not at all!

The thought of Todoroki…going back to his broken life before U.A…?

She trembles with fury. Her crimson eyes blazing with ire.

No! Not after everything that we’ve talked about these past few days. We made plans, asshole! Sights to see. Events to enjoy. Remember?! What the fuck about that?!

What about working together? What the heck?

Even though she knows, deep down, that things will be different. He won’t be going back to live with his Father…and even if he did, they have a different relationship now.

But…

For him to voice that out loud? It hadn’t even crossed her mind that it was something that he was anxious about.

It’s her rapidly beating heart and the quick, horrible sadness in his mismatched eyes that does her in.

Makes angry adrenaline consume her and engulf her in its chaos. Her own fears and doubts rushing like panic up her spine, clawing its way up her throat to make her suffocate.

She feels frantic all-of-a-sudden. 

…thump, thump…

…thump, thump…

…thumpthumpthumpthumpthump…

Katsuki jumps in her seat, skittish as hell, as everyone suddenly bursts out talking again, all at once, each of them trying to console Todoroki at the same time.

Holy fuck!

There is so much fucking noise now that she can’t stand it anymore! Her ears are literally bleeding!

It’s the endless, overbearing…overwhelming chatter from her friends that won’t seem to quit, to let her collect her thoughts for even one second, that makes her fucking erupt.

“WOULD YOU ALL JUST…JUST…SHUT THE HELL UP!” She snaps, words scathing and hoarse and piercing the air like a gunshot.

All her fiends, even Todoroki, jump and sit ridged at the echo. Katsuki feels in full panic/tantrum mode right now, scoffing at them all mockingly when they all stare at her in horror. “You’re all so goddamned pathetic! This conversation is stupid!”

Utter. Silence.

Shit!

She gets a couple of shocked expressions at her loud outburst, some hurt, some angry, at her horrible words. Even Todoroki seems surprised, his mismatched eyes catching hers, mouth turned down into a frown, like he’s trying to figure her out.

“Wow! Trust you to be such an ass about it,” Jirou mutters, giving her a glare and crossing her arms. Ochako looks seconds away from bursting into tears. Even Deku is watching her warily, a small twist to his mouth that conveys his annoyance at her words. The Baku-squad all just sigh. While the rest are quiet and assessing, perhaps knowing there was more to her statement that her blanket words. “Not everyone is a cold-hearted bitch like you…” the goth-girl continues, spitefully, her feelings obviously hurt.

“Kyouka,” Ida reprimands sternly.

“What? It’s the truth?” she says defensively, earphones fluttering with tension. “Why can Bakugo say what she wants, but I get in trouble when I speak up?”

“Hey, Kat’s not cold-hearted…” Kirishima jumps in, defending her, even though he doesn’t need to.

“Yeah, Blasty is just…Blasty…” Mina tries to butt in, sounding almost tired, “she didn’t really mean that—”

But Bakugo is quick to silence her, cutting in even when Jirou looks ready to argue back.

“No! I meant what I fucking said!” she sneers, jumping up to stand defensively, frustrated with all the disapproving stares that she was receiving. “You guys just don’t get it, is all!” She starts to pace, trying to figure out how to best get her point across, but she’s just never been good with these things.

Her hands are smoking, shaking, a good indication of her chaotic thoughts, but she’s too well-trained to lose control on her quirk.

It doesn’t stop Deku from saying, “Kacchan…if you lose control of your explosions in the forest…”

His dumb voice just sets her off.

“I’M NOT GONNA LOOSE CONTROL STUPID DEKU!” she roars, all the tense, high-strung feelings suddenly begin to pour out of her. “I’M NOT YOU!” she lashes out again and kicks a pile of bundled tree wood sky high. Most of the debris lands heavy to the side of them. Knocking over random things like a knapsack and a cooler, some hitting the flowers and rolling away. One lands in the hot springs, simmering softly a little down the way.

It is a testament to their relationship now, that Deku just gives her a sheepish sigh, his face only a little flushed as he pouts back, “hey, I’ve gotten better!”

"Blasty, calm down!” Mina tries to engage.

She’s quickly shot down, “I AM CALM!!!!”

“Nah bro, you’re like almost an 8 on the scale!”

“Shut up! I fucking hate that I have a scale, bastards!”

‘I don’t know if I can go back to being alone again…’

NO! You’re not! You can’t. We talked about this. Right…?

Right?!

Why the fuck is she suddenly so out of breath? Her chest feels like a vice.

Her crimson eyes seek mismatched ones. Todoroki is watching her, his eyebrows furrowed, like even he isn’t really sure what she is trying to say right now.

It makes her chest clench!

Shit! Shit!

She does the only thing that she can think of to do, so they will all stop looking at her like that!

She hastily pulls down her shirt, jostling the fabric so that the scar high above her left breast was visible without revealing anything inappropriate, “you see this shit?!” she shouts, glaring at them, “what the fuck are you all talkin’ about?!”

A statement all on its own.

She watches her friends take in her dramatic gesture, but she’s stone cold serious, devil eyes boring into them collectively. They are all sitting at attention, like they’ve been called to order. But most of all, her eyes bore a hole into Deku’s. Who she watches gasp, his green gaze turning raw as he is reminded that she had literally taken bullets for him.

It’s then that his face becomes stern, determined and resolute, as her meaning finally reaches him. Reaches them all. She sees all their faces light up when they finally get it. “I’ve got your back,” she barks, addressing them. A silent pledge. A pact.  “What the hell have I been saying to you guys for forever!?” she yells. “Don’t tell me you forgot?!”

When only silence greets her, she sneers, pointing at them, like she is accusing them. “If you’re in danger…I’ll protect you…” she then jerks her thumb towards herself, “…and if I’m in danger…then you—”

“ ‘…better come and save my ass, rat bastards!’ ” chimes in most of their group, having heard that little phrase more than once over the course of three years. Half of them jump up from the ground to stand, riled by her rousing words and raising their fists and punching up into the air.

“…and none of you better forget it!” she yells at them, like a mother scolding her kids. “All this crap talk about being alone and moving forward by yourself?  It’s a crock of shit! If you think for one second that you are going into this alone, then you aren’t the people that I thought you were! I won’t listen to that half-cocked, idiotic, untrue, loser talk! HAH?! ARE YOU ALL A BUNCH OF LOSERS OR WHAT? We’re a fucking team, morons! Don’t think that just because we’re graduating, that you’ve somehow lost my number, tch! Idiots! Are you really all still this dense?! COME ON! USE YOUR DAMN BRAINS FOR ONCE!”

They all stare at her as she finishes her rant, panting hard after she’d screamed at them. Her heartfelt word vomit finally coming to an end.

“Ka…Kacchan…” Deku stutters, sounding in awe, his eyes briming with tears.

“I’ve got your back,” she says again, her tone leaving no room for argument. Her red eyes heated and intense and boring into all of their souls. She trips over her words when she catches Icyhot’s wide-eyed expression.  “So…so all of you…just…shut up with that ridiculous talk. It’s got no place here! We’re all just going to be fine! More than fine! Those criminals aren’t gonna know what hit ‘em once we all finally graduate! They’ll be quaking in their boots when they realize that we’re coming to kick their ass! Soooo... WHO THE FUCK IS WITH ME?!!”

She throws her closed fist out and does a fist bump.

Suddenly, there is a horrible, horrible wail. Followed by sobbing that is ridiculously obnoxious and jarring. It’s Kaminari, Sero and Mina being dramatic as fuck, after Katsuki’s sentimental rant, making a bunch of noise. “AWEEE! BAKUGO! IS THAT REALLY HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT US?”

“SHUT UP!” she hollers at them, her voice catching on some emotions, but she is secretly pleased when most of their group rush her and dog pile her to the ground, sobbing and laughing and acting like a bunch of babies. Ida and Momo fussing over them from above, like older siblings. Her friends professing their love at her, teasing her and making her flustered with all their affection.

But finally, thankfully, she exhales…and releases all that built up tension that had manifested in her gut the last hour. She feels like she can at least take a breath of air again, her lungs and heart no longer in danger of collapsing under the weight of a thousand worries.

Who cares if they were going to different agencies? It didn’t even really matter! Most everyone was staying local, so it wouldn’t be hard to stick together. It was a no brainer! Why could none of these bastards see that?

…because Pink Cheeks was right, they were a family now, and damn any person who thought they could fuck with them…

They would be sorely…sorely mistaken.

Jirou punches her in the shoulder a little later, after everyone has had a chance to relax and were now getting ready for bed, “ya know…you could have just said all that to begin with. You’re always so dramatic.”

Pink Cheeks bounds over as well, Deku hot on her tail, and gives Katsuki the hardest hug she’s ever gotten, “I mean…it wouldn’t be a Bakugo pep talk without a full blown temper tantrum beforehand, now would it?”

Jirou roll her eyes and sighs, with a little smirk though, “I mean…true.”

Bakugo scoffs, “tch! Whatever. You get the point now …so get over it already…”

“Sure, sure…” the goth girl teases, “but like, has anyone told you lately that you’re getting kind of soft?”

“Go blow it out your hole!” she growls back at her.

But the earphone girl is winking at her and waving over her shoulder as she heads towards her shared tent with Kaminari, “have a good night Chief!”  

She wants to protest the nickname, but Ochako finally releases her from her death hug and distracts her. She’s got that warbled smile on her face as she regards her. Dammit, Katsuki hates it when people cry. “Thanks, Bakugo…” the gravity girl mumbles, “I think…I really needed to hear that. I think most of us needed to hear that to be honest…”

“Yeah yeah,” she grumbles, pretending that she isn’t just as affected as everyone else, “save your water works for the nerd, got it?”

“Okay,” Ochako agrees, sniffing a bit, but then the smaller girl is hugging her again, before heading back towards the fire to grab her things so she can go to sleep.

Finally, it’s just her and Deku left, who had been standing awkwardly off to the side while all their friends had wished Katsuki a goodnight, clearly wanting to say something to her. She glances over his shoulder and notices Todoroki slyly slipping inside her cabin, unnoticed.

When she finally meets Deku’s stare, he mumbles under his breath, not really sure what to say…“um…” and he fumbles, anxiously gripping at the hem of his green t-shirt.

Bakugo just huffs, rolling her eyes and crowding close into the nerd’s space, “listen…” she says, keeping her voice down so no one else can overhear them. Her voice is so hoarse from her shouting, that some of her words come out raspy, “I dunno what promises you’ve made to All Might, but I’ve made some promises of my own…”

“I see…”

“…but…I’m only ever gonna say this to you once, so you better be paying attention…”

She holds her arm up, hand raised in a gesture for him to met her. She holds his gaze, her mouth turned down into a frown, but she breathed fire and life through her red. “I’ll fight in your battles, no matter how crazy things get,“ she announces to him, her eyes hard. “I’m with you ‘till the end.”

Katsuki can see the moment when he lights up, some of his hero worship kicking in and giving him this kind of glow. That heated lightening from deep within him, that he’d had long before he’d ever gotten his power. It’s a look she has seen on him for her entire life, having grown up with this dumb kid since the beginning.

Knowing him for so long means that she can also see exactly when the waterworks trigger, and within seconds the little bastard is hastily wiping his soft tears away.

Deku grabs her hand anyway though, his grip tight and solid, even with the stream of liquid running down the sides of his face.

“ ’till the end…” he repeats back, lightening strikes in his eyes, both finally…at their start line.

Finally, she sets her sights on Shouto.

She corners him when he’s leaving the bathroom in her cabin. It seems to be a thing with them, restroom ambushes. It would be a funnier thought if she wasn’t already so keyed up over the last hour of emotional vomit.

While she’s gotten her point across to her friends, Bakugo still feels like she needs to set some shit straight with Todoroki, and now. So she stalks him to her cabin and lays in wait for him to finish his business. As soon as he opens the door, she roughly pulls him towards her with a sneer on her lip.

He stumbles, almost crashing into her, completely caught off guard, “hey, what?”

Shouto has frozen right up at her intense glare. Their eyes lock heatedly, like they were about to do battle.

The adrenaline rushing through her says much the same.

Instead of words, she grips his shirt and forces him into an ugly kiss.

Too raw.

Too hard.

Too sloppy.

Exactly the kind of feeling that she needed right now. Something tangible. Something real.

She takes the lead and dominates his mouth, cursing and pawing at him and gripping his hair in an iron clad hold, just to release some more of her aggression. She pulls back from him, their lips smacking apart, and gazes at his stunned face. He gasps in a breath and she plunges back in for more, devouring him thoroughly, getting lost in the soft sounds that he makes against her as they lost themselves. Seconds later they are slamming into a wall, rutting helplessly against one another for a solid five minutes as they both chased their inevitable end through their clothes.

They frantically climb, higher and higher and higher. So quick and fast. Everything blurry and hot. Until they fall. Silky moans and whispered gasps their only company as they fought to catch their breaths against one another in the hazy aftermath.  

She’s trembling and panting as she comes down, holding onto him with a death grip, hiding her face in his neck, “you’re not alone.” She hisses into his sweaty skin, her heart beating a mile-a-minute. So is his, the pulse in his neck going crazy as he continued to pant against her. “You stupid…stupid idiot!”

Words seem to escape him, but she doesn’t care. He hugs her back just as tightly, just as desperately, and that is enough.

“You’ll never, ever, be alone again, Shouto…”

His shaky exhale and sagging shoulders speak for themselves.

It takes them a while, but they do manage to regroup.

Nothing like a trip with her entire class to cause half of them to have an existential crisis or two.

Classic.

When they’ve finally gotten themselves a little more back in control, Shouto doting soft kisses against the scar on her chest, does the universe decide to throw another curve ball at them.

Typical. It’s not even a shock anymore, really.

They only have a second, before the door to her cabin is opening and Kirishima catches sight of them on the way to the bathroom.

His eyes register shock, before his shark teeth glitter in his smile as he takes in their ruffled PG embrace, “awh, come on Kat, now you’re not even trying to be subtle about it.”

“Go away Shitty Hair!” she growls, glaring at him to leave rather then get pissed off that he now, well…officially knew.

“Roger that, Captain,” he laughs, giving her a mock salute, just like Jirou had teased earlier, and headed for the bathroom. Todoroki was still wrapped around her, pretty much dead on his feet at this point and only staying upright because she was literally holding his weight.

“I told all you guys to stop calling me that!” she bites back as she pushes Icyhot off of her and onto the bed, sighing in relief as he just mumbles and rolls over.

“But, you’re our leader, aren’t you?” The redhead says, eyeing her fondly over his shoulder.

Her eyes widen, shocked, a bunch of weird feelings spazzing out inside of her. Kirishima just gives her a thumbs up, laughing out a “heck ya!” before closing the door behind him so he could take a piss.

She holds her breath and blinks stupidly, her heart racing for whatever reason....

…and…unfortunately…she just doesn’t have any more mental brain compacity to unpack all of that tonight. Whatever the hell he was implying to her.

No, it was simply just time to pass the fuck out.

Who cares if anyone saw them both during the middle of the night? Katsuki doesn’t give a crap anymore. The more people who know about them now, the better, if she has anything to say about it. Hmph!

She flops on the bed and curls around the half-n-half lump next to her, ignoring Kirishima leaving a little while later, her back to him as he exits.

She feels her shoulders sag once he’s gone…and then all the spare energy that she’d been clinging to finally disperses in the quiet.

See! This was exactly why she hated hanging out with everyone. They drained all her damn energy!

Ack!

Yes…sleep was sounding better and better…

A little while later:

“Goodnight Tsu!”

“Goodnight Midoriya!”

“Goodnight Momo!”

“Goodnight Midoriya!”

“Goodnight Denki. Goodnight Jirou…”

“Goodnight Midoriya! Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight Ida.”

“Sleep well, my friends and you too Midoriya!”

“Goodnight—"

The door to the cabin bursts open and Bakugo screams into the dead of night, “IF YOU DON’T SHUT. THE FUCK. UP DEKU I WILL COME OVER THERE…AND MANGLE YOUR FACE.”

There are many giggles, all from various areas of her campsite, but it remains silent for a little while after her outburst. Just as Katsuki is about to pull back, with a sigh of relief, and close her door, she hears…

“Goodnight Kacchan!”

“DEEEEEEKKKUUUUUUUU!”

Why the hell was she friends with all these assholes again!?

Tch!

Chapter Text

Sometimes…she hates being right.

Aizawa calls them all ridiculously early the next morning. Warning them that the travel bus would be arriving at noon and that everyone had better be ready an hour beforehand. So that he and the other U.A faculty members could do their inspection.

After that, it is a hectic scramble by all her classmates to clean and pack everything up. It’s a goddamn mess! People shouting and tripping over each other while Katsuki barks orders at them all. Shouto, the bastard, just smirks at her while doing exactly as she tells him, knowing that it was probably for the best that he kept his mouth shut as she became their impromptu drill sergeant.

They all make it…barely.

All twenty of them shuffled onto the bus a few hours later once Aizawa gives them the go-ahead. Apparently satisfied that the resort had been left in much the same state as when they had first arrived.

Thank god...because no one wants to deal with a cranky Aizawa so early in the morning.

Todoroki ends up sitting next to her on the way home. A complete one-eighty from his earlier avoidance during the beginning of their trip. For which she is simultaneously happy about...and regretful for...because his light touches are kind of ...doing things to her right now. 

Shouto is currently leaning an arm casually across the back of her seat, cold hand occasionally ruffling her tangled rats nest. His fingers glide softly across her neck every few seconds, making her shiver and she keeps glancing around the crowded bus to see if anyone is the wiser to her dilemma. 

Todoroki, of course, has this small smirk on his face every time she jumps in her seat...apparently very satisfied when her cheeks heat up and she sneers in his direction.

She wants to punch him whenever she catches the sly grin sliding across his stupid, dumb face. But she's trying really hard right now to not draw any unwanted stares in their direction.

Mother fucker!

She'll kill him for making her feel this way.

No one is paying them any attention. But, Shouto isn't even trying to be inconspicuous. The bastard. 

Though, she can't deny that his brazen antics aren't making her feel things. Like, feral things. Inappropriate things. Nasty things. Gah. He makes her want to jump his bones, fuck him senseless and just ...like, screw the damn consequences...because she just wants to wreck him. 

You've got some balls on you, Icyhot, I'll give you that...

She huffs out a sigh and tries to reign in her insatiable libido. It's a losing battle. 

Grrr! Hadn't they done enough of that shit already during their trip? How can she still be feeling this way? They'd spent most of the last few days banging it out...so, what the hell?

Why was she feeling so damn heated for?! Like a fucking animal! The hell is wrong with her? Shit's embarassin'.

Shouto hums when she grinds her teeth a little too loudly next to him. "Something wrong?" He runs another icy finger across the back of her ear and goosebumps flush rigidly across her back. She sneers in reply to his question, plotting his death a thousand different ways because heat was starting to pool below her belt and why...why, why, why was he such a fucking asshole? 

"I fucking hate you..." she seethes in a whisper, glaring at him. 

" 'Hate ' is a strong word..." he says impishly, keeping his voice down. But that damned little smirk is making an appearance again and she wants to smack him. 

"I. Will. End. You." She warns with a hiss, practically squirming in her seat. 

"I'm not even doing anything..."

"Bullshit you aren't."

He bats his stupid, perfect eyelashes at her. "Not my fault you're a little hot under the collar."

"Oh? So you've chosen death then..." she mutters murderously. "I hope you've had a nice life." She cracks her knuckles and gives him the stink-eye. "'Cause you're gonna be road kill in about three seconds if you don't knock that shit off!"

Shouto sighs and pretends to be put out. Shaking his head and acting all cool. Like he hadn't just been teasing the ever-loving-fuck out of her for the past twenty minutes. Yeah, nice freaking try! "Aren't you being just a little dramatic?"

"You're fucking insufferable, you know that? Like, I actually regret doing anything with you this weekend."

Shouto's eyebrows wiggle and he licks his dry lips, watching her with a very lewd stare. "Do you? Can't say I feel the same."

Katsuki feels her face heat up once more when Todoroki runs his gaze up and down her body. Memories of their activities this weekend rushing back through her mind. 

Guh...she almost feels like she's been sucker punched in the gut. This weekend had been...had been...

Well...

Her flushed cheeks are answer enough, especially with how happy Todoroki seems. But he just has to hit the nail on the coffin one more time. Like he can't resist trying to rile her up even more. 

"But I swear I'm not doing anything on purpose..." he says, biting his lip to keep the grin away, trying to save face. His mismatched eyes glitter when he locks onto her crimson gaze. "I mean...it's not my fault that you're feeling just...a tad...uhhhh, sensitive?"

Katsuki feels her eyes literally bulge straight out of her eye sockets at his words. It must look absolutely ridiculous, because Shouto is straight up laughing at her now. Having caught her: Hook. Line. Sinker.

The fuck he just call me?!

"SENSITIVE?" she screeches out loud, gaining the attention of the entire bus now because of her outburst. Especially when she jumps up and hovers her clenched fists over Shouto's stupid, dumbass head. "I'LL SHOW YOU FUCKING SENSITIVE!!"

"Bakugo..." Aizawa growls, throwing her an agitated look over his shoulder. He is up to his eyeballs in his yellow sleeping bag and Katsuki can literally feel his disdain for being woken up clawing at her skin. "Don't make me separate you two...Mineta is looking very lonely in the back there..."

Bakugo goes rigid, while Mineta tries to make himself as small as possible in the very last seat at the back of the bus, where he sits by himself. For obvious reasons. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh?" their teacher challenges, arching an eyebrow. Bakugo can hear the rest of the students giggling in the background.

"H-hey?! Don't I get a say in this?" Mineta pipes up, his eyes popped wide, afraid for his life. 

Shit...no way in hell am I sitting in the back with that fucker.

She and her mentor have an intense staring match, before she mutters a few choice words and gives in. Katsuki growls and with a huff, slams herself back into her seat. Kicking the back of the plush in front of her in her frustrations, pouting and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, that's what I thought..." Aizawa mumbles, already dozing off again. 

"Tch!"

She glares at the gross brown fabric in front of her, when she senses Shouto's fingers making their way into her hair again. Before he can make contact, she bites the appendages as hard as she can. 

"Ow!" Todoroki hisses, hand snapping back in pain. He shakes the bruised fingers quickly while it throbs and Katsuki only mean-mugs Aizawa's next glower when he turns his head to glare in her direction again. 

When their teacher finally turns his head to go back to sleep, does Bakugo glance at Shouto with a sneer, warning him, "next time...I draw blood."

Todoroki cradles his wounded hand to his chest. "Jeez, it was just an innocent gesture..."

"Innocent my ass," she bites back. "You know exactly what you're doing."

"Oh yeah?" he purrs, his eyes hooded and salacious. "Am I bothering you?" It makes her stomach flutter and her legs tighten and her face explodes into red once again. Just from a goddamned look! A LOOK! Gah...she fucking hates this clown! Hates him for how much she doesn't fucking hate him.

"I'm ignoring you now..." she announces, putting her ear buds in and blaring her metal music, drowning him out. Glaring out the window as she pouts to herself. 

She can see his shoulders jiggle in a chuckle, his head shaking fondly, before he seems to give up his teasing. 

Thank fuck for that.

He digs around in his backpack and pulls out an enormous hard covered book he’s been reading religiously for the last few days. Immediately getting sucked into whatever story he’s been obsessing over. Something about Vikings, magic and Dragons. She’s got no idea. She’s never been one for fantasy novels…or any kind of novels to begin with. Reading wasn’t really her thing.

Katsuki just stares sullenly out the window as the peaceful forest disappears behind them.

Hmph, back to reality I guess...

Spending so much time together these last few days makes the ride back to U.A and their cramped dorm, a bit of an adjustment. There is a sense of longing in the air. She feels wistful and…she wants to go back home, of course…but she also…doesn’t.

She’s gotten reaaaal tired of being crammed together with nineteen other people for the last couple of years. She can tell Todoroki feels much the same way, his face wincing when his reading bubble is broken by rambunctious teenagers shouting at each other almost an hour into their commute. 

Dorms sucked. Everyone is always falling over each other. All the noise (some she is perfectly aware is her own doing, who cares?!), and the constant invasion of personal space. With not an ounce of privacy to be found. Like…there isn’t even a private bathtub. She hasn’t taken a bath since she last stayed with her Ma.

That was over three months ago!

Yeaaaah…dorms got old real fast…

Seriously! First thing she’s doing when she gets her own place, is buying an entire stores stock of expensive bubble bath and drowning herself in suds to never see the light of day again.

Leave her to die happily, in peaceful, private, soapy bliss.

Gah, she is almost drooling at the thought.

The next two weeks leading up to the Formal are a chaotic mess. A nightmare. A damn reality check!

Once they get back to school after their short break, the grind gets overwhelming.

She dreams of that cabin some nights, on the evenings where she finds herself alone and without her hot and cold heater to keep her company. Remembers the small, but short-lived blip in time where it was just the two of them and she’d had so many reasons to smile.

Their U.A classes kick it into overdrive, and it seems like they are working twice as hard as before. Their teachers pull out all the stops. Showing them no mercy as they refine the moulds they’ve made of their charges these last few, insane years.

Hectic, eye-opening years…

She isn’t kidding either!

Bakugo is pretty sure that their class is going to go down in U.A history for being nothing short of a bunch of overachieving troublemakers. Who couldn’t stay out of the crossfire to save their lives.

She imagines their Year Book, class picture engraved for all future generations to see, with a caption underneath:

“Class-A, of 2022 - 2025

The absolute worst!”

Ha!

It’s the damn truth too!

She's kinda fucking proud of that, to be honest. Class A has been through some shit. It stands to reason that their class would be the most troublesome of the lot. Good. Let them revel. Fuckin' badass.

It makes her laugh sometimes, just thinking of Aizawa and how drained he seems nowadays, after putting up with them all for so long. His long jet-black hair is starting to pepper gray at the roots...and she takes some pride in knowing that she and her classmates must have had a hand in the subtle changes in his appearance. The poor bastard looks downright exhausted. Rung through.

Not like that fucker hadn't been riding their asses for years now, anyways. Serves him right. Don't dish it out if you can't take it. Is how she's always lived. 

Heh!

The next few weeks of school are a feast for gossip. It's kind of disgusting, but also really intriguing and scary, seeing how overly invested everyone gets. 

All of the third year students were talking about their final interning gigs, which were starting back up not long after the dance. Who was going with who to the Formal, because apparently, that was much more important than anything else going on...because teenagers were drama queens. 

And what offers from Hero Agencies had been going around. Who would be signed right out the gate from graduation? Who would be left to apply when they received no job offers at all? Who would be left to sidekick and have to work their way up to Hero status?

Katsuki sneakily redirects every attempt from her peers over the days to try and get her to talk about who she was going with to the Formal. Her classmates also made various attempts to get her to spill the tea, concerning what Heroes had made her offers for employment for the end of the year. But she remained tight lipped, wanting to keep everything a secret until the very last possible moment...

Simply because…it’s none of their damn business anyways!

Slimy, nosey fucks!

Katsuki, unfortunately, cannot escape her teacher though, and Aizawa ends up dragging her into a classroom a few days after they return from the resort and grills her. 

“I have a plan,” she tells him, on the defensive when he corners her during a random lunch hour. “I’m not being a slacker!” she growls when she notices his unimpressed glower. “Besides, pretty sure the deadline you gave us is for Monday after the Formal…so, I still have time!”

“Hmmm, leaving this until the last minute is not like you, Bakugo…have you even spoken with the Hero yet?”

She shrugs, looking a little shifty, “no…. but I have a plan!”

Is she trying to convince herself, or him?

Aizawa just gives her that dull stare, the one that makes her prickly, “do you have a backup--?”

She interrupts him with a wild gesture, “of course I do! I've already spoken with Best Jeanist and I have a spot with him after graduation if I need one.”

Her mentor just frowns. “You are either the dumbest kid I've ever met...to keep stalling on Endeavour's very generous offer...or the smartest. I honestly can't tell which.”

Katsuki twitches, "gee thanks."

Aizawa huffs out a noise, lips pursed as he stares into her damn soul. Jesus fuck. "Your stall tactics...they're because of Midoriya, aren't they?"

Bakugo feels her mouth fall open, not having expected for anyone to have figured it out. A secret she'd kept hidden from everyone. Including the nerd.

Aizawa gets all the confirmation he needs by her dumb-struck face. Then he is rolling his eyes. "I should have known," her mentor sighs, shaking his head. "I take it All Might has something to do with this?" 

Katsuki feels shifty, tensing under the man's impossible scrutiny. Honestly, it's no wonder the government keeps Aizawa in their back pocket for interrogation. He's a master of prying the truth out of you. All he's doing is glaring at her, but it's making her want to spill her guts. She keeps her mouth shut. Refusing to confirm nor deny the man's accusation. Even though it's kind of true...but also not. All Might hadn't put her up to anything. But the retired Number One Pro-Hero is nothing if not...inspiring. 

Finally, Aizawa seems to come to his own conclusions and shrugs his shoulders. Slinking towards the exit. "Whatever you are planning...it will either blow up spectacularly in your face...or work like a dream. Can never tell with you. Too much of a wild card. But I suppose you've pulled off crazier stunts than pissing off Endeavour...so, I guess we'll see." 

“Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence!” she bites back sarcastically to his retreating form as he heads for the classroom door.

"Don't screw this up, Bakugo." Aizawa warns on his way out, before the door shuts behind him. 

Yeah, yeah...whatever!

Just because she’s winging it this one time, doesn’t mean she’s gonna fuck everything up.

Hmph!

Ack! Who is she kidding, pulling spontaneous bullshit out her ass is literally her schtick.

She panics for like an entire day after that conversation, worried that she is making a huge mistake waiting to speak with Endeavour until during the Formal. But then she remembers that she’s a goddamn Bakugo, so fuck it! She’s made lots of on-the-fly decisions over the last few years that have panned out in her favor, and dammnit she’s going to make this work if it kills her.

I have plans and I made a promise...All Might's counting on me to keep my word.

Her idea has to work...

...and she'll make damn sure that it does.

She'll manifest the shit out of these dreams...it's what has always worked for her in the past. If there's a will... there's a way.

Endeavour was just her stepping stone to achieving those goals.

A major, extremely crucial stepping stone...that could make or break her foundations. But she's confident in her abilities as a negotiator...

...and she's gunning for their unofficial, Number One Flame Hero.

The next week and a half after the resort just kind of passes by in a blink of school carnage and exhaustion. By the time they get any amount of peace, it’s a Tuesday evening after a full day of classes and most of her friends have swarmed the veranda and surrounding area of the Alliance building. 

They’d all spent the last few hours shooting-the-shit. But now, as everyone begins to settle down, she is finally left all on her own. Off to the side of the building, sitting on one of the railings that enclosed the dorm deck. She's got her feet swinging lightly back-and-forth in her red hoodie and black jeans, enjoying the setting sun on her face. 

The temperature had been steadily increasing over the last little while, reaching higher today as they finally reached April. Spring was just about in full swing now. Meaning no more snow. Which suited her just fine, she fucking hates winter with a passion.

Some of her classmates continue gabbing away, sitting under a large tree a little bit down the property and out of ear-shot.

Todoroki is there too…but also…so is some girl.

Katsuki knows she’s got an ugly look on her face right now, as she glares daggers at the student. But…whatever! She’s allowed.

Icyhot has been pulled off to the side, while all their friends snickered and hollered like a bunch of immature animals while the random extra stuttered through asking him to the dance. Which was this Friday, three days from now.

UGH!

It’s been like this all week. Girl after girl, coming up to him all the damn time, asking him to be their date. Fucking vultures! He’s such a gentleman too, being nice and turning them all down gently. It pisses her off! His nonchalant attitude towards the literal slew of vaginas that had been trying to get a piece of him, since they’d gotten back from their trip.

Grrr! She wishes he’d just rag them out and tell them to get lost.

She sure wants to!

Wants to scream at them all that he’s taken! Soooo…can you back, the hell, off!?

It’s been like fifteen girls now! She knows, she’s counted!

She watches the girl slide delicate fingers across Todoroki’s hand as she talks his ear off. Probably professing her love or admiration...or something else that would make Katsuki want to hurl.

Tch!

She’s so pissed off at the display, that her quirk catches in her irritation and pops by mistake, her right hand sparking. But she’s too keyed up and miffed to be upset about her lack of control. In fact, her pride relishes in the sound and its comfort. So much so, that she lets out a small, crackling fireball, with a scary sneer on her face, as she imagines throwing it at the girl and lighting her on fire.

Get your damn paws offa him!

Her hands are smoking now, a constant simmer of heat and light.

She won’t actually do it…

More giggles. More inane, infuriating chatter. 

Seriously, why the fuck hasn’t he told her to get lost yet!? She’s still yammering on like a rooster!

More touching.

‘Crackle!’

Another high-pitched laugh, that she can hear all the way over here, that’s how obnoxious it is.

‘Pop!’

Fingers gliding effortlessly up Shouto’s arm, again and again and again.

‘Pop!’ ‘Pop!’ ‘Pop!’

Touching his hair. and--

Her fire bursts from her palm, igniting into a steady explosion.

Nevermind…fuck that bitch!

She dies today!

Katsuki is just about to high-tail it over there and probably cause a scene, until she notices that Todoroki is gently removing her hands from his person and away. She can’t hear the conversation, but all their friends are glued to their seats, gawking at the spectacle. Shouto shakes his head and steps back when the student speaks up. Bakugo can see the girl, again, trying to plead her case, pushing into his personal space. But, Icyhot continues his stony treatment when she doesn’t get the hint right away.

Finally…finally she seems to get it, bowing awkwardly, before turning away and scurrying up the path towards another set of dorms. Katsuki is smirking at the lame losers quick footsteps as she practically runs past the Alliance building, her face scrunched up like she's about to cry.

Kukuku…

‘Crackle!’ ‘

‘Pop!’ 

‘Simmer.’

She wouldn’t be a cold-hearted bitch if she didn’t take some sick satisfaction at the student’s very apparent misery in light of their rejection. HA! HA! She also has to claw back the urge to throw her fireball right at the upset leech when she runs past; despite knowing how much trouble she’d be in with Aizawa for doing so.

Tch! Serves that loser right for touching what’s mine!

But that’s the fucking problem, isn’t it? Her entire issue these past few weeks.

They don’t know that he’s spoken for.

That girl, and all the other girls for that matter, wouldn’t even be able to ask Todoroki to the Formal…if Shouto were her damn boyfriend...like, officially.

…but, he hasn’t asked yet! It’s been almost two weeks since their trip…and still, nothing!

So in the eyes of U.A…and the world for that matter, he was still free game!

He most certainly is not fucking free game! 

DIE DIE DIE!

Grrrrr!

Katsuki feels her teeth grind, crossing her arms over her chest to stop the sparks in her palms, and glares at the back of the stupid girl’s head as she finally disappears into the distance and away...

She wills her shoulders to un-hunch, trying, and failing miserably, to calm down.

‘You better snag your man soon…’ Mina’s warning was always in the back of her mind during times like these. Especially lately. She wasn't a jealous person by nature.

But holy fuck...that nasty side of her had been reeling its ugly head lately. You know it has gotten bad when even she was questioning her own bitchiness. She's been on a level 10 most of the week. No wonder Todoroki has been staying away. She has been kind of a nightmare lately.

It's just so annoying...watching all these girls fawn over Shouto like he's a piece of meat. Most of them don't care about anything other than his body and his bank account. Wanting him to be eye candy on their arm. She knows, because she's spent 3 years listening to the locker room gossip and all of them are just batshit crazy. You think she's bad...oh ho, no way...these prissy bitches are worse...

Her hands fizzle and pop again and she's pretty much given up trying to get her quirk under control. No one is even around anyway...so she can have her little freak out in peace.

...or so she thinks, anyway.

Bakugo is so caught up in her inner ranting and curses, that she doesn’t notice Todoroki’s eyes on her, staring at her from across the grass like he’d been watching her little tantrum all along. She also doesn’t notice his very abrupt disappearance from their group of friends not even a minute later.

In fact, by the time she calms herself down mentally; her classmates have already packed up and are heading back into the dorms for the evening. Some of them wave at her when they pass by, but most of them leave her to her own devices.